Indo-Nepal Relations: Differing Perspective
25 Jun, 2001 · 509
Brig. SP Sinha laments the short-sighted and insensitive policy towards Nepal and calls for a radical change in Indian attitude towards Nepal
In recent years there have been perceptible strains in Indo-Nepal relations. The growth of the ISI’s activities in
Nepal detrimental to
India ’s internal security has caused great concern and alarm not only in the Government circles but also amongst the general public of
India . The hijack of an Indian Airlines passenger aircraft, IC-814, in Dec, 99, with the connivance of ISI agents in Nepal when flying from Kathmandu to New Delhi has confirmed Indian fears that Pakistan is using Nepal as a base for its anti-India activities. The hijack was followed by another alarming incident triggered by rumours in
Kathmandu that Hrithik Roshan, a popular Indian movie star had made disparaging remarks about
Nepal and its people. The rumours spread like wild fire causing anti-Indian riots at several places in
Nepal . It later turned out that the movie star had never made the remarks attributed to him. The complicity of ISI agents in
Nepal in the spread of these rumours has since been established.
India that
Nepal has not adequately reciprocated its traditional friendship. This view has been strengthened by
Nepal ’s penchant for playing the
China card in its relations with
India . More and more people in
India are veering round the view that
Nepal has been unmindful of
India ’s legitimate security concerns and has unwillingly or otherwise played into
Beijing ’s hand. Lately there has been serious concern about an emerging China-ISI nexus in
Nepal . In short, many Indians see
Nepal ’s attitude as one of extracting concessions without meeting its obligations.
Nepal ’s concerns has primarily fuelled anti-Indian sentiments. Let me add here that anti-Indian feelings are centered mainly in and around
Kathmandu
Valley and a few other urban centers. I would further argue that the demographic profile of the Terai region of
Nepal and its relationship with Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar holds the key to India-Nepal relations. Unfortunately, people sitting in
Delhi have defined our
Nepal policy rather that people who physically share the Indo-Nepal border.
Nepal ’s Terai region has a mixed demographic profile. As per the 1981 census of
Nepal , linguistic groups consisting of Maithili (11%) Bhojpuri (7.6%) and Awadhi (1.6%) constituted nearly 20% of the terai population. As per the same census, the Terai region had more than 92% of all immigrants to
Nepal . In the 1991 Nepali census the Great Himalayas and the
Middle
Mountains together accounted for 53% of total population. On the other hand, the Terai which had only 35% of the total population in 1952-54 Nepali census, increased its share to 47% in 1991 census. The higher population growth in the Tarai compared with the rest of
Nepal is seen in part as a result of migration from
India . The Nepalese see their trend as Indian Lebensraum (living space). It is easy to argue that more Nepalese migrate to
India than Indians to
Nepal , but when one considers that the population of
Nepal is a more 24 million as compared to
India ’s 1000 million (UP-139m, Bihar-86m), the Nepalese fear is justified. Exacerbating this scenario is also the fact that Bhojpuri, Maithili and Avadhi speaking Nepali citizens of Terai have yet to develop deep emotional links in
Nepal .
Nepal is the increase in female Nepali immigration in the last decade. Poor Nepali girls have been lured into the sex trade in major cosmopolitan cities of
India . The girls who return to
Nepal spread AIDS in the population and place a heavy burden on
Nepal ’s meager services.
Nepal . Much has also been made of sprouting Madarassas along the India-Nepal border. Rather that putting all the blame on the Nepalese government the major share of the blame must be placed on the governments of the UP and
Bihar . Most of the criminal activities along India-Nepal border take place with the connivance of police, civil and customs officials of
Bihar and UP. They are corrupt, inefficient, ill trained, callous and have developed vested interest in criminal activities on the border. Illegal Bangladeshi migrants who have settled down in the border districts of UP and
Bihar have facilitated proliferation of Madarassas.
India ’s insensitivity to
Nepal ’s concerns is the construction of Laxmanpur efflux bund over the River near the UP-Nepal border without informing or consulting
Nepal . The bund has caused inundation of Nepalese territory and thousands had to be evacuated.
India ,
Nepal today is a country of talented people, conscious of their identity and fiercely independent. Young Nepalese join the Indian Army and fight for
India ’s sovereignty and integrity and yet, we choose to demonize them. There cannot be a greater contradiction than this.
There is growing perception in
There is also a different perspective on India-Nepal relations. I would argue that the Indian attitude and its insensitivity to
Another trend resented in
Much publicity has been given to the criminal-ISI nexus operating from
Yet another example of
Although still poor and underdeveloped like many parts of
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