Democracy Reigns in Nepal
on July 2, 2008
Theme: China : democracy : India : nepal
India must quickly establish cordial relations with the dominant force now in the Nepalese polity i.e. Maoists. The gruesome comrades of the Nepalese Maoists in India could learn many lessons from them, with the principal one being unswerving allegiance to peaceful politics.
The ideological closeness of the Nepali Maoists with that of the Chinese might provide some serious obstacles to the Indo-Nepalese alliance in the future.
The transition of Nepal from a monarchical nation to a secular and democratic republic was rather seamless. It was aided undeniably by the realistic approach of the formerly insurgent Nepalese Maoists whose conversion to democratic politics has gladdened the hearts of advocates of democracy worldwide. The Maoists, before their transformation, were severely opposed to the existence of King Gyanendra, who, for the Maoists, epitomised the deficiencies of Nepali society. The Maoists waged a brutal struggle aimed at the demolition of the Nepalese royalty for many years, with the ferociousness of the battle between them and the royalists exacerbating from the mid-1990s. Abundant Nepalese lives, many of whom had no connection to royalist politics, were devoured by this internal conflict.
The recently deposed King Gyanendra had to befriend the throne under extremely rickety circumstances in June 2001 following the assassination of his elder brother King Birendra and many other members of the royal family by an inebriated Prince Dipendra. The reign of the now former King Gyanendra, with the passage of time, began to be disliked by the Nepalese people due to despicable inefficiency. The dictatorial takeover of power by King Gyanendra in February 2005 acted as the final nail in the coffin of the Nepalese people, prompting them to indulge in vehement protests against the total supremacy of the King whose retort to these determined protests was authoritarian in nature. Nevertheless, with growing unpopularity and significant pressure from the United Nations, the Americans and neighbouring India, which has wielded considerable influence over Nepal ever since the 1950s, King Gyanendra was forced to retreat from his autocratic position and agree to the creation of elections for the Constituent Assembly, which was vested with adequate muscle to decide the future of the monarchy. The resounding performance of the Maoists in the elections signaled the termination of the sway of the dynasty.
The transformation in Nepal was executed decisively by the Nepalese public, who gave an overwhelming mandate to the Maoists in the recently conducted elections to determine the composition of the Nepalese Constituent Assembly.
The Maoists, with their adherence to constructively serene politics, have flummoxed many political pundits, who had predicted the incapability of the Maoists to adjust to mainstream politics. The amalgamation of the Maoist guerillas with the constitutionally legal Nepalese military is inevitable. The gruesome comrades of the Nepalese Maoists in India could learn many lessons from them, with the principal one being unswerving allegiance to peaceful politics. The hyper-leftists in India, despite possessing some valid grievances, cannot be sympathised with due to their faithfulness to violence and insurgency that has consumed many innocent Indian citizens.
India must quickly establish cordial relations with the dominant force now in the Nepalese polity i.e. Maoists. The prickliness of the past must not be allowed to hinder the establishment of congenial relations. China, the increasingly hegemonic giant in this region, must be prevented from turning Nepal into a subordinate state, which docilely consents to the diktats of the Chinese. The ideological closeness of the Nepali Maoists with that of the Chinese might provide some serious obstacles to the Indo-Nepalese alliance in the future. Therefore, it is genuinely necessary for India to build up a fruitful partnership with the Nepalese Maoists to curb the possibly heavy sway of China in the coming years. Conventionally, India has regarded Nepal as a ‘zone of benevolent Indian control’. Strategically speaking, due to incompetence, India must not let such conditions prevail in Nepal, which will let the aforementioned phrase be altered to accommodate China as well.
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Comments
Indian ‘comrades’ must define themselves through peaceful measures. They may claim that they were peaceful. And there is little doubt that they have been butchered over their lands. Add to that the caste issues. They have innumerable instances to prove that were peaceful and democratic.
Readers of Mahasweta Devi’s work will identify with the cruelty of the Indian Police (government) toward the villagers turned naxals and maoists. Some of them join the leftist parties and some join the violent anti-government movements.
Perhaps an honest agency (media?) will dig out rural issues and prevent the masses from rebelling and resorting to violence.
In addition, the economic disparity will fuel the rage towards the urban ‘landlord’ cities. Investment in villages with emphasis on social security and labour laws should be a step in the right direction. And we need more education and better education.
However, what we need the most is a ‘somebody’ to think and implement ideas.
We have to prevent naxal violence. It will grow and inflame cities. Indian ‘comrades’, thus, need to identify themselves with the Nepali counterparts.
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