Government welcomes Indian influence

By Our Reporter India has once again managed to dictate the ruling parties of Nepal by orchestrating an agreement to amend the constitution and hold the local elections in two phases.  India has been believed to have her hands both in uniting the six Madhes-based parties in the form of RastriyaJanata Party (RJP) and bringing the ruling parties and the newly formed RJP to an agreement. Otherwise, unity between the Madhes-based parties, whose leaders have not been in good terms, would be impossible. Indeed, the political developments moved in a planned way—first the Madhes-based parties were united and then the agreement between the government and the Madhes-based parties was reached. Interestingly, the main opposition party, the CPN-UML, was totally ignored while striking the deal and taking important decision to amend the constitution and hold the local election in two phases instead of in one phase as announced earlier. Though it was said that the new agreement was made to bring the Madesh-based parties on board the election, the real intention may be to foil the local election. Signs to this effect have already been visible with the UML outright rejecting the new amendment proposal and the plan to hold the local polls in two phases. Everyone knows that India has been unhappy with the constitution of Nepal. It even imposed blockade against Nepal with an ill intention of failing the constitution. As such India has been against the idea of holding the local polls without amending the constitution and changing the borders of the provinces in the Tarai. The Madhes-based parties were only the Indian agents to fulfill the Indian design. The frequent changes in the stances of the Madhes-based parties were testimonies to these realities. Moreover, not only the present government was formed under the Indian design, but also Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was promoted by India to weaken Nepal.  It has now been evident that India had used him to wage the senseless war for a decade and later to abolish the monarchy. NC president Deuba, who worked as bridge between Dahal and India to form the present coalition government and pull down the KP Oli-led government, has no intention other than becoming the next PM. As such it was not difficult for India to bring her puppets PM Dahal, Deuba and the Madhes-based parties, to the agreement as a base to prevent the local elections. Now when the UML has strongly opposed the new amendment bill and the decision to hold the local polls, it is unlikely that the new amendment bill will be endorsed. When the amendment bill is rejected, the Madhes-based parties, which never follow the rules of games, will not participate in the elections. Hence, the agreement is not likely to make the local election possible. By reaching in the controversial agreement, the ruling parties have only allowed India to make her grip strong on Nepal’s internal matter and weaken Nepal’s integrity and sovereignty. Considering the unstable nature of both the Madhes-based parties and the Maoist-Centre, the agreement of Saturday night is likely to be counterproductive for Nepal and the Nepalese people in the long run.