http://nepalnow.blogspot.com/2010/12/wikileaks-and-nepal-part-i.html

http://nepalnow.blogspot.com/2010/12/wikileaks-and-nepal-part-i.html




India has always wanted a somewhat unstable Nepal. It helps to reinforce and maintain Nepal's dependence on its big brother to the south. --blogdai, "The Big Difference" December 2006

...blogdai sees India throwing support behind the 7-party alliance and yes, the Maoists. It's an open secret anyway, but look for more Indian arms to find their way into party hands in the future. India has always used the Maoists to keep Nepal unstable and dependent ......--blogdai "" A Tangible Shift" September 2005

This leads one to the conclusion that India, through Girija, is now allied with the Maoists. This is a typically sneaky and autocratic way for India to deal with an uppity King so no surprises here from the "worlds largest democracy." ---blogdai "I Don't Even Want to Think About It." June 2005

Indian hegemony

http://www.daily.pk/global-war-indian-hegemony-over-water-13819/

Indian hegemony

http://reformistani.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/indian-hegemony-over-bangladesh-by-shah-mohammed-saifuddin/

Resisting Indian Hegemony

http://rupeenews.com/2008/08/15/resisting-indian-hegemony-by-all-neighbors-afghan-cauldron/

Indian hegemony

http://northeastindiadiary.blogspot.com/2008/08/indias-hegemony-unmasked-case-of.html


(Dear Readers, we are giving final touches to the website MERO NEPAL-MA NEPALI and this site wil be linked to the new website.)

Embassy’s ‘media meddling’ draws widespread flak

Political party leaders, Parliamentary committees and advocacy groups have taken serious exception to statements issued by the Indian Embassy that questioned the integrity of the Nepali media, which have questioned the quality of an Indian joint venture product.

In defence of the Nepali media, they have said it is the responsibility of the free press to remain vigilant.

They have demanded the government summon Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood to inquire about the statement, saying that it is in breach of established diplomatic norms. Though no one would go on record

fearing reprisals from the Embassy, even some senior officials in the joint venture companies say the Embassy’s recent policy could make them a “needless victim”.

In its recent statements, the Indian embassy tried to portray the Nepali media in poor light, claiming that the joint venture has received negative media publicity because it failed to provide advertisements. The embassy statements, however, remain silent on the fact that some half a dozen Indian joint ventures had voiced strong reservations against the embassy policy, asking them to impose an ‘Ad blackout’ on those media houses that the embassy regards as “unfriendly.”

“We have in fact told the embassy that it would not be in our long-term commercial interest to ignore the media that have wide reach,” said a senior official of one of the joint ventures. “We are a commercial enterprise and our decisions should be solely based on commercial interests. Politically motivated decisions will unnecessary hurt us. If the embassy wants to take all the decisions for us, it might as well run our companies.”

Reacting to the issue, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament, Ram Krishna Yadav, on Tuesday said his committee would take up the issue. “The questions raised by the media regarding substandard products of an Indian joint venture have drawn our attention,” Yadav said at the Reporter’s Club.

“We will convene a meeting to hold discussions on the issue at the earliest.” The PAC is the second House committee to express concern over the issue.

On Monday, the House committee on International Relations and Human Rights unanimously condemned the Indian embassy’s statements, directing the government to seek a clarification from Indian Ambassador Sood.

Expressing solidarity with the Nepali media fraternity, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) took strong exception to the statement. “FNJ believes that the embassy’s statement targeting the Nepali media is improper and uncalled-for. FNJ completely disagrees with the statement,” the umbrella body of Nepali journalists said in a statement. It also said it is preparing a detailed report on the recent developments vis-a-vis the embassy’s reactions on Nepali media and vice versa.

CPN-UML leader K.P. Oli said no one should interfere in the freedom of the press in the nation. “No one has the authority to question the people’s right to information,” Oli said in an interview with a radio station. “Consumers have the right to consume quality products.”

Nepali Congress central working committee leader Deep Kumar Upadhyaya and UML leader Pradip Gyawali said it was unfortunate to see that there was needless diplomatic response to what is clearly a commercial issue. “There could have been other ways to clarify the media reports, if they were erroneous,” said Gyawali.

Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna urged the government to investigate the issue. “It is the media’s responsibility to point out the wrongs in the society,” said Karna. “The Indian embassy’s statement is an attack on the free media.”

Similarly, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Rakam Chemjong, urged the government to seek an explanation from the Indian envoy. Talking to reporters in Dhankuta, Chemjong said the freedom of the press must be respected and everybody should keep it free from intervention.

Contrary to the Indian Embassy’s claims that the media reports were fabricated, the news reports, among others, are based on lab reports from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC), a government agency. The DFTQC report released earlier this month said the Dabur juice contained inedible substances, including worms. This was widely covered by the electronic and print media.

Concluding that the Indian statement was a direct attack on the country’s sovereignty and press freedom, the Nepali media fraternity has sought an apology from the embassy.

Embassy statement row

The Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Human Rights on Monday unanimously condemned a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in connection with media reports that questioned the quality of products manufactured by Indian joint venture Dabur Nepal.

Concluding that it was a “direct attack” on press freedom, the committee directed the government to initiate a process to take action against the embassy.

In a statement issued on Monday, the committee said the Indian Embassy’s statement was against established diplomatic norms. “The committee hereby directs the government to initiate a process to take action on the above mentioned act of the Indian Embassy,” reads the statement.

Committee Chairman Padma Lal Bishwokarma said the statement crossed all diplomatic boundaries. “We have taken serious exception to the statement. The government must react,” said BK, adding that the committee also urged the government to seek a clarification from Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood.

The Committee’s statement follows the Nepali media fraternity’s call to the government to issue a rebuttal. In a statement on Friday, the embassy had accused the Nepali media of engaging in “unethical practices.” It claimed that media houses approached Indian joint ventures for advertisements and resorted to negative publicity when their demands were not met.

The Nepali media fraternity had promptly objected to the Indian Embassy’s press statement.

In a joint statement on Saturday, Nepal Media Society (print), Television Broadcasters, Broadcasting Association of Nepal (commercial radio) and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (the umbrella organisation for community radio broadcasters) cautioned the Indian Embassy against “overstepping its boundary.” The media fraternity has it that the reports that quoted the government’s probe into the quality of Dabur products, were not “unethical practices”.

Most lawmakers in the Committee urged the government to stop the frequent intervention of the Indian embassy on Nepal’s internal affairs. “The government can take action against any substandard product,” said CPN-UML lawmaker Radha Gayawali. “The government must seek a clarification from the Indian Embassy,” said Sadbhawana Party lawmaker Gauri Mahato.

The embassy men

As always Indian embassy gifted ambulances to Nepal. Why does the terrorist India like ambulance, is there any pshycological reason. Yes, there is it is their guilt feeling that they are behind the murder and killings of Nepalese people and they gift ambulances.
After Rishi Dhamala being exposed very badly to the media for being Indian embasy man this time the Indian embassy is planning a big media gaging campaign soon.
In a meeting with the embassy paid editors from APCA house and others in Lainchour the Indian terrorist Sood has told his henchmen that they are planning something big and will help the media that help embassy to curtail the press freedom in Nepal that is very dangerous for the so-called democratic India and its expansionary interests. Indian could not fulfill its wish to grab the MRP due to his dadagiri style and it is now trying to gag the media so that it can do anything it wants against Nepal and Nepali people in future. Sood has to be immediately sent back but the India sponsored government of Madhav Kumar Nepal and RAW and emabssy-backed media is silent on the issue of press freedom. The RAW is also planning something big for Kailash Sirohiya and Our kantipur Publications. The embassy people are publicly saying that they can murder Kailash sirohiya like Jamim Shah in Kathmandu in broad daylight. Th Jamim Shah case was also planned by RAW and Indian embassy have supported logistics. In the similar fashion, the RAW has send one journalist to the jamim Shah's publication before making the murder plan. It has again sent its one paid journalist, who is now back to RAW-funded himlayan times after collection informations from Kantipur publications, like he earlier went to Space time and returned back to himalayan times and reporte to RAW. His daughter is studying in Delhi sponsored by the RAW and his masters.
Like the east india company entered in India in the name of business and captured India, the RAW-funded APCA is planning to weaken all the nationalist forces and make puppet government like Madhav Kumar Nepal. Any one who is ationalist and stands for Nepal will be marked for murder and the Indianstate funded terrorist organization RAW and Indian embassy excute the murder in Kathmandu.
According to the terrorist Sood's ola those media persons who oppose his master plan will be sidelined by either murdering or charging them with some fake cases.
Dear media friends, be aware and remain vigilant, anyone who works in himalayantimes and APCA may be spying on you and your daily activities and selling the informations to the India embassy.

MRP from India to Nepal: At What cost?

TGW
Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal appearing before the Special Hearing of the Public Account Committee (PAC) on Monday declared that the government had awarded the printing rights of Machine Readable Passports (MRP) to India due to the excessive political and diplomatic pressure.

“Under pressing circumstances, government had decided to award the printing rights to India because that the MRP should have been issued by April 1, 2010”, he stated.

It was earlier reported by the Nagarik Daily, February 24, 2010 that Foreign Minister Sujata Koriala had forwarded the proposal to purchase some 40 Lakh (Four million) Machine Readable Passports (MRP) from Indian company summarily ignoring the Global bidding process. She was excessively pressurized by the Indian Government to make the decision, the report had also revealed.

“At the last minute when we were in sheer trouble, we found friend in the Indian establishment and thus we decided to award the printing rights to India”, the Prime Minister replied to queries posed by the PAC members.

“Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna (during his last trip here) and Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood had been requesting Nepal to purchase the MRPs from India”, The Nagarik vernacular daily dated February 24, 2010 had reported.

“We could not take any decision against India because of the political pressure and our sound diplomatic relations with India that exists”, the Prime Minister told the PAC.

“The government was being pressurized by various political parties to quickly take a decision”, he also said.

“We had to cancel the global tender due to some reason”, the PM said but did not reveal as to what were the reasons to cancel it?

“The Indian ambassador in a formal letter sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated December 4, 2009, while referring to Nepal-India close ties and expressing security concerns due to the open border had expressed India’s “inner” intent to support Nepal in arranging the MRPs on time”, writes Nagarik adding, “In the letter, the ambassador also assured that the MRPs would be made available to Nepal at a cheaper price.”

However, Nagarik wrote further that the price quoted by Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India, company owned by the Indian Government, is much higher than those quoted by the French and Indonesian companies.

PM Nepal was also of the opinion that since a company owned by Indian government is going to print the MRPs, vital information would not be leaked.

On March 23, 2010, Nepal and India formally exchanged confirmation letters regarding the MRP deal and it is expected that India will supply MRPs within 10 weeks.

The Global Civil Aviation authority, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) had officially informed the government that it cannot extend the April 1, 2010 deadline for introducing the high-tech machine readable passports (MRP).

On the other hand, the members of PAC expressed deep dissatisfaction over the subdued response of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Prakash Chandra Lohani, leader of Rastriya Shakti Janshakti Party and a member of the committee was of the opinion that the government had ridiculed Public Procurement Policies and the decision to award printing rights to India has not been transparent.

He also said that the government’s decision to cancel the global tender was fraudulent and mysterious. He also alleged the prime minister for lying before the committee.

Deep Kumar Upadhyaya of the Nepali Congress Party said that it was due to the unlawful act of the ministry of foreign affairs the country stands insulted and humiliated. How the prime minister can claim that there was political and diplomatic pressure to take the decision in India’s favor when we are not getting the MRPs for free, Upadhyaya questioned.

Sujata-India nexus this…
This also speaks as to how much pressure at times the Indian establishment exerts on Nepal.
But yet, Sujata by awarding this MRP contract to the Indian regime has proved that the family of the Koiralas' will ever remain subservient to the Indian Union.
Her fresh proximity with India may elevate her ranks in the Nepali Congress party, let's presume it to be so for the time being.
Old familial habits die hard.
MP, BP and later GP all served the Indian Union to the best of their abilities (and in the process cheated their own country men at different intervals of time) when they were alive and kicking and now SUJI-Jost is in queue to provide an extension to the "Koirala tradition".
By extension, it does mean that the incumbent Mr. Nepal's government will have some more days in office thanks the MRP deal.
The favor "shamelessly" awarded to the Indian company is a slap on the face of those Nepalese who claim to be nationalists as Chakra Prasad Bastola recently claimed.

RAW against RAW

A former Nepalese Ambassador to India, Chakra Prasad Bastola has accussed India and US as the main conspirators of the 2001 palace massacre, in which king Birendra and most of the royal family were killed, Nepali daily reported.
Buzz up!"I feel (the Narayanhiti Palace massacre) was a joint plot by India and the US," Bastola was quoted as saying by the Nepali language Nagarik daily.
"As nothing can happen in Nepal without Indian involvement and nothing happens without the knowledge of the US, the superpower, (I think) both were involved in the incident," Bastola said.
Bastola alleged that both India and US have manipulated Birendra's brother Gyanendra, who came to power after Birendra's assassination.
He said that the massacre was planned to eliminate the patriotic and democratic forces in Nepal.
Bastola claimed that the foreign governments had targetted the then Prime Minister G P Koirala, who was one of the guests for the dinner that fateful day.
However, the dinner invitation was later cancelled on the behest of Birendra as he said that the dinner was a family affair.
Investigation by the official commission named the then crown prince Dipendra, who was allegedly under the influence of a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, as the main accussed into the incident.
However, the report failed to find acceptance with a majority of the Nepalese, who held Gyanendra, the sole beneficiary of the massacre, reponsible.
The public outcry against Gyanendra led to the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy shortly after the UCPN-Maoist came as the largest party in the constitutional assembly polls in 2008.

(NOTICE: Dear redaers, we are creating a site forfight against anytype of Anti-Nepal activities. and link this blog to the new site. See you soon)

RAW, APCA and Indian Embassy after Shah murder

Terrorists Indian srriked again as they killed a media boss Jamim Shah in broad day light at Lazimpat of Kathmandu.
The sharp shooters who followed him from hotel Yak and Yeti shot him dead at a traffic jam at Lazimpat. They came from The indian embassy and ran back to indian embassy, according to the eye-witnesses.
Shjah has ben labelled as Dawood's man by RAW and Indian establishment and Indian embassy and the APCA House were following his movements. The police didnot act for an hour at the order from Madam Khadka, who is taking the capital city's security responsibility.
The police came to action after they got green signal from the Indian embassy and APCA Hpuse that the shooters were sent back safely.
The relation between the IGP chand and APCA House is very cordial as the RAW operatives posing as journalists fropm Indians in the himalayan newspapers published by APCA and its nepali annapurna post are freqyently with the Chans and police officer seen in the restaurents in Kathmandu valley.
The newspaer has people working for the RAW and Indian embassy, who report every news to first to delhi RAw and Indian embassy.
Some of them who have recently left the Shah's channel Nepal are instrumental in the passing of the shah's informations to the RAW and the editor himself informed the Indian embassy on how to carry the news and twist it.
Prakash rimal and Rajan Pokhrel report to the RAW in delhi and Ajay Khanal and Arjun Bhandari report to Indian embassy. They have been distorting the news and try to btainwash the reader. That's why APCA should be closed for the sake of Nepal's sovereignty. Otherwise some other editors and publishers of other newspapers and kantipur will be the next target of RAW as they slowly start propaganda against them and label them also as anti-Indian.
May be some of the RAW people from himalayan and annapurnal post will join the Kantipur and start collecting the information of the publishers and the editors and report to the RAW. So, they can kill these people.
They will be after our kantipur and its english newspaper, TKp and no wonder if the publisher and editor of these newspapers, who write pro-Nepal news will be soon dubbed anti-indian and will be targetted like Jamim Shah.
Sood is the most key person in the killings of pro-nepal media people as he sees every nepali nationalists as anti-Indian. He wanted to turn Nepal into Afghanistan but he falied and he is trying to murder some of the pro-nepal meadia people to threaten all. But he will never succeed as every Nepali knows Indian embasy is the manufacturer of the Indian terrorists to create problems in Nepal. India is a terrorist country and its state-sponser terrorism has done a lots of damage to Nepal till date. But how long could Indian terrorists damage Nepal as the international community is also watching Indian terrorist act in Nepal.
Though to show that it is working,
Police have suspended four policemen deployed at the police beat in Lazimpat at the time of Jamim Shah’s murder blaming them of the security lapses. But Madan Khada, who is onpayroll from the Indian embassy, RAW and APCA is spared.
Chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu SP Ganesh KC organising a press conference at his office in Hanumandhoka claimed that other police officers are also involved.
The APCA House immediately after the murder of Shah's murder started security checking fearing counter attack. The Idian who were working posing as journalists in APCA were also sent back to Delhi.

Indian RAW strikes again on Nepali soil

Terrorists Indian srriked again as they killed a media boss Jamim Shah in broad day light at Lazimpat of Kathmandu.
The sharp shooters who followed him from hotel Yak and Yeti shot him dead at a traffic jam at Lazimpat. They came from The indian embassy and ran back to indian embassy, according to the eye-witnesses.
Immediately after the murder the Indian channels are active and broadcasting the news of murder as brave incident of criminals which was as expected as they Indians arte terrotists and criminals.

Summary of the Book “India Doctrine” written by Barrister MBI Munshi

In India Doctrine, the writer Mr. Munshi has tried to lay emphasis on the point that India from the very beginning has been pursuing a policy of establishing hegemony in the region.

Mr. Munshi through evidences, arguments and her practices has tried to prove that the intentions of India are nothing short of this. To materialize India’s objective the EU and the USA have also joined hands with her. The USA has concluded a treaty for cooperation in the nuclear field with India although it (USA) propagates non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

This nuclear agreement she did to contain the Chinese influence in the South Asian region. This is a direct threat to peace in the region. Besides the propaganda onslaught against Bangladesh and other countries here through some persons and media is on. The visit of Shaikh Hasina to India in 2003 and again in 2005, were of considerable significance. The 2007 election was also important for them since it was the desire of India that Awami League should come into power. The insurgency in Chittagong Hill Tracts was creation of India. In brief India has been instrumental in destabilizing situation in Bangladesh as well as in other countries of the South Asian region like Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka etc.

The book says India was partitioned in 1947 but India followed the undeclared policy of re-unification or Akhand Bharat since then. The skirmishes along the borders, the unabated killing of innocent civilians of Bangladesh, insurgencies in Nepal, Pakistan (Baluchistan) Sri Lanka are pointer towards this.

India does not believe in two nation theory since they consider that there are other common cultural, ethnic grounds for forming a nation. India viewed emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state which negates the division on the basis of religion.

Nehru’s ideology centred round non-partition of India or the Akhand Bharat as detailed in his book, “The discovery of India” (1947). And this policy has been followed subsequently even after partition in 1947. Nehru/ruled from 1947 to 1964 and his successors were no different from him. The situation of Sikkim in 1973-75 was similar to that of Nepal’s in 2006. In both cases the rulers were over thrown. The former became a constituent part of India while the latter (Nepal) began to be ruled by the persons of choice of India.

As regard Pakistan, Indira Gandhi at a public meeting on Nov, 30, 1970 observed, “India has never reconciled with the existence of Pakistan, Indian leaders always believed that Pakistan should not have been created and that Pakistan nation has no right exist”.

The book says that, keeping the above in view it could be said that India’s role in 1971 war to help Bangladesh was according to her own policy consideration of Akhand Bharat. The later events like looting and taking away of military equipments after Pakistanis were defeated, unequal distribution of Farraka water, killing of Bangladeshis at the borders, inciting insurgencies within Bangladesh territories, indirect interference in shaping Bangladesh foreign policy, creating problem for garment industries etc. loudly speak of the Indian intentions.

The book says that, Henry Kissinger, the then National Security Advisor and Secretary of State thought that India’s help for the then East Pakistanis in their struggle for liberation was purely motivated by self-interest guided by the dream of claiming of all territories ruled by the former British colonial power. J. N. Dixit, the vet-ran diplomat in his book, “Liberation and beyond”, gives the impression that it was Pakistan which wanted to break India and created condition in the former East Pakistan to make a cause to attack India. This is an absurd proposition for it was India which impeded the return of refugees when a political settlement was in the offing in the later part of 1971. Further, after 9/11, there were sufficient reasons to believe that India instigated insurgences through JMB out-fit as the confessional statement of its deceased leader proved. This was done to tarnish the image of Bangladesh as a terrorist state.

After liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, India started propaganda offensive both within and out side India against Bangladesh. Noted left leaning writers are on their pay rolls in Bangladesh. This is done to materialize their goal of Akhand Bharat. Hence it is felt necessary that against their propaganda offensive, RAW’s clandestine activities, counter offensive both through media measures and active intelligence surveillance are must.

The book says that the six points became a great plea for going into a tougher movement. Had that been accepted, it was presumed that Pakistan would not have broken and nor independent Bangladesh emerged in 1971. After 1971, India became more active to make the newly emerged state its part. For this she appointed Chittarangan Sutar as Shaikh Saheb’s representative in India. Sutar had direct access to Indian Prime Minister and other high officials there. His plans however failed following assassination of Shaikh Saheb in August 1975.

India entered into a 7 point agreement with the then Bangladesh government in exile (located in Calcutta) which contained provisions like no standing army for Bangladesh, Joint forces for Bangladesh with the command lying with the Indian Army Chief, identical foreign policy etc. The defeat of Pakistani army and its surrender to the Indian General, (Sans Bangladesh Army Chief) and the terms having never been shown to Bangladesh, apparently spoke that virtually Bangladesh belonged to India since India won the war with Pakistan and took its soldiers captive. The Mujib Bahini, the Rakhi Bahini etc. were created to seek their assistance in consolidating the Indian Government’s authority in Bangladesh and also to use them when the appropriate time had come as thought by India. Their authority was further strengthened by the 25 years treaty of friendship which also fortified the 7 point agreement made by the government in exile. As said before the plan of subordinating Bangladesh failed following assassination of Shaikh Saheb. India could have walked over but restrained itself for fear of international condemnation etc. It however continued its effort to destabilize it and others by harboring insurgencies through RAW and other agencies in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Nepal and Pakistan. The insurgencies in Chittagong Hill Tracts are worth mentioning.

The book has been further enriched by the valuable contributions from the eminent writers of both home and abroad. Professor Khodeja Begum in her article laid emphasis on the India’s concept of Akhand Bharat or united India quoting authentic references like the 7 point agreement made between Indian government and Bangladesh government in exile. She also quoted the Ananda Bazar Patrika’s observation following 1991 election. The Patrika said that the people in Bangladesh should raise their voice for merger with India. Brig Gen (Retd) Shakhawat laid emphasis on geopolitical condition of Bangladesh and suggested for careful move for making relationship with USA, China and more importantly India.

Other Nepalese and Sri Lanka writers have also blamed India for inciting insurgencies and instability in the neighboring countries. Maoists in Nepal and LTTE in Sri Lanka are the beneficiaries of the Indian government.

'India Must Show Genuine Respect to Nepal'

Indian movie star Hrithik Roshan sparked riots in Nepal last month after he allegedly expressed dislike for the country and its people in an interview. He later denied making the remarks, but five people had already died in the violence, several Indian businesses in Kathmandu were destroyed, and relations between the two countries took a turn for the worse. India's former foreign secretary, Salman Haidar, who has been involved in important negotiations with Nepal in the past, spoke recently to TIME contributor Maseeh Rahman about the peculiar nature of relations between the two South Asian nations. Edited excerpts:

TIME: Did the intensity of the violence in Nepal surprise you?
Haidar: It came out of a clear blue sky, so it was bound to be a surprise. But it does illustrate the touchiness of Nepalese opinion over any sense of big brotherly treatment from India, any expression of disdain or a lack of regard and respect. It shows how easily a situation can heat up even when the evidence [of Indian disregard] is so shaky.


TIME: How does one try and understand such a reaction from the Nepalese?
Haidar: Our neighbors see us more clearly than we see them. This is natural, since India is a very large country, and our neighbors are much smaller. A great deal of Nepal's day-to-day activity, economic or otherwise, is tied up with India. Given the disproportionate sizes of the two countries, they have to keep a constant focus on what's going on in India. Nepal is very close to us -- it is closer culturally than any other neighbor. But it is also a very proud country with its own tradition of independence, which is older than India's. They feel that India is not sufficiently mindful of their feelings and their interests.

TIME: India has supported Nepal's pro-democracy movement in the past. But despite the historic links, there are strong anti-Indian lobbyists within Nepalese political parties.
Haidar: It's a curious matter, but democratization of politics in Nepal has increased the possibility of misunderstanding. There are a number of political parties in Nepal, and quite a few groups within these parties, all of which have ample scope to air their views and mobilize public opinion in their favor.

TIME: India and Nepal have a special relationship. With millions of Nepalese working in India, and Indians active in business in Nepal, shouldn't ordinary Nepalese feel less suspicion and hostility toward India?
Haidar: For exactly this reason the suspicion has increased. The inequality of size and capacity gets emphasized because of these realities [of dependence], and increases the Nepalese sense of vulnerability. You use the word "special." I recall more than 30 years ago an Indian delegation that had gone to Nepal, and came back empty-handed because of this word "special." The Indian delegation felt some reference to a "special" relationship had to be included in the final communique. For Nepal, this was unacceptable. Sovereign equals have normal relations. A special relationship implies a certain inequality. That's not acceptable as a concept for Nepal.

TIME: But wouldn't Nepal lose a lot if the two countries had a "normal relationship?"
Haidar: Their perception is that certain realities are irreversible. For example, there are so many Nepalese living in India that you cannot suddenly clamp down on them and say you can't live here anymore. [Nepalese are free to live and work in India without visas or permits, and around four million do so.]

TIME: For decades India and Nepal have been in negotiations over the use of their common boundary river, the Mahakali. You were involved in the 1996 Mahakali River agreement, but it still has not been implemented. What's happening?
Haidar: Natural resources by their very nature are a very sensitive matter politically. We agreed to help develop the area, and we envisage there will be more such agreements allowing both countries to jointly exploit the tremendous hydroelectric and water resources that Nepal has.

TIME: Yet Nepal's parliament has still not ratified the agreement.
Haidar: The issue was deliberately politicized by a group within the UML [United Marxists-Leninists] party that felt uneasy with this kind of linkage between India and Nepal. The UML supported the Mahakali agreement when it was in the ruling coalition, but by the time the agreement came up for ratification before parliament, the party was in opposition. And under the influence of a group within the party, the UML took a contrary view. This demonstrates how in a democracy, groups that are very much a part of the political system are capable of having a disproportionate impact on events. It's not very different from what you see in India, where quite often, small pressure groups can have a huge impact. The agreement is not dead though and may well get implemented.

TIME: Historically, New Delhi has been wary of China's influence in Kathmandu. How far does that account for problems in India-Nepal relations?
Haidar: After the India-China border war in 1962, there was extreme sensitivity on India's part and great reluctance to see Nepal as just another neighbor with whom normal relations could develop. We felt that for India's security, a special relationship needed to be affirmed. This provided an opening for China, and Beijing made a determined attempt to wean Nepal away from a dependence on India for its economic growth and political structures. But as relations between India and China have taken on a different character, the sense of Nepal being able to play one against the other has faded. Today, I don't think that Beijing is a decisive factor in India-Nepal relations.

TIME: There's a lot of talk about Pakistan, especially its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, fishing in Nepal's troubled waters.
Haidar: Let's not lose perspective. On the whole relations between India and Nepal are very good. Communication between the two governments is excellent. But problems are bound to crop up due to the imbalance [between the two countries]. Organizations like the ISI can fish in the troubled parts of Nepal's waters -- there will be groups that are susceptible to ISI influence, but these are not groups that dominate or control Nepalese policy. They can and do make trouble for India, and we know that some politicians are very close to the ISI and are ready to do their bidding. But let that not be seen as evidence of the ISI dominating Nepalese policy.

TIME: So it would be simplistic to say that the latest anti-India riots were organized, as some commentators insist, by either the Bombay underworld or the ISI?
Haidar: The match could have been lit by anyone, but what is more significant is that the tinder is there. There is uneasiness among various Nepalese over how India can dominate them, and violate their sentiments and their rights.

TIME: So what can India do to try and improve this "big brother" image it has in Nepal?
Haidar: India has to tread with care and show some genuine respect. It has to understand that Nepal is a sovereign country that will not move at India's bidding, even in matters where India will be touchy. Nepal may not want to get absorbed into an Indian pattern of economic growth, and may want to pursue a different path. A greater respect on India's side for Nepalese sentiment and independence, for autonomous processes of growth and development, would be helpful. But even if India adopts a sensitive policy, the risk of an accident remains due to the imbalance in size and capacity of the two neighbors.

TIME: Around 100,000 people of Nepali origin who were thrown out of Bhutan continue to live in refugee camps in Nepal without much hope of going home. Can't India do more to help Nepal overcome this problem?
Haidar: Nepal and Bhutan are friendly neighbors, and if we get involved, we'd be blamed by both. President Clinton expressed hope recently that this issue would be settled. And there have been some high-level American visitors [to South Asia] also trying to find a solution. There's an expectation now that the stalled process of identifying those refugees eligible for repatriation back to Bhutan will be resumed. This is a matter in which India's good offices should be made available to both sides, but so far New Delhi has chosen not to intervene.