By Shashi P.B.B. Malla

The present UML-Congress Coalition Government and especially Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli is personally responsible for the undeniable fact that Nepal-India relations are in the doldrums.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana-Deuba made several attempts, but has been unable to move the needle.

Thus, a major imbalance has crept into the Himalayan Republic’s geo-strategy. It is no longer equidistant from both Beijing and New Delhi, but lob-sided tilting towards China.

Oli thought he was being very clever by playing the so-called China Card, but he obviously overplayed his hand. Now the country and its people have to pay the price for his foolishness.

All the given factors are in favour of flourishing Nepal-India relations, but Oli was too clever by half, played to the domestic audience’s feeling of over-zealous nationalism, and unleashed his impractical cartographic aggression.

Neither the current government nor any follow-up government will be capable of undoing the damage done.

To change the dynamics, a radical new way of thinking is required.

As already noted, the basis for re-vitalizing the bilateral relationship already exists.

In the cultural sphere, no two countries in the world are so close as Nepal and India.

In the realm of religion – one of the most important facets of humanity – the majorities of both countries are Hindu.

Nepalese and Indians celebrate many common religious festivals.

A wonderful possibility is in store for us, if the Nepalese people soon rise in revolt against a terribly corrupt regime of the Dons, and restore the Hindu State and Constitutional Monarchy.

As the monarch of the only Hindu State in the world, H.M. King Gyanendra would be an inseparable bridge between the two people and countries.

In the military domain, there has been close cooperation since over two centuries!

Politically, both countries are aspiring democracies, although lately both have been going on the wrong track, and have also been using strong-man tactics.

Internationally, both countries adhere to the principles of Pancha Shila or Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

The economies of both countries are intertwined closely, although Big Brother India tries to take undue advantage of Nepal’s gullible leaders.

As my colleague Ratna Sansar Shrestha pointed out in last week’s edition of The People’s Review (“Anti-national treaties during multiparty democracy” – de rigueur must read for anyone interested in Nepal-India relations) :

Nepali leaders blindly/willingly acceded to India building physical structures on sovereign Nepali territory to divert the waters of Nepali rivers at Indian cost and hog all the benefits of the value-added water for irrigation and flood control benefits free of cost and in perpetuity! Nepal alone had to reckon with inundation and involuntary displacement of people!

There are ways and means to bring Indo-Nepalese cooperation in various sectors to an even keel by rational diplomacy.

However, this requires truly patriotic leaders on the Nepali side --- which will not be possible without radical regime change and the re-establishment of Hindu Constitutional Monarchy!

The writer can be reached at: [email protected]