- File photo
Birendra P Mishra, Kathmandu. PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda, addressing his press conference at Tribhuvan International Airport, returning after completing his four-day ( May30 to June 2, 2023) visit said that he succeeded in building trust with India. Relevantly, during their joint press conference PM Modi also claimed to take the bilateral relations to the Himalayan height and solve all pending issues with Nepal accordingly.
Before Prachanda became PM for the third time, he visited India on the invitation of Bhartiya Janta Party a few months back and came back home without meeting PM Mod. Which had not sent a good message. However, his commencement of the visit itself suggested that Prachanda was interested to build the gap between these leaders. Perhaps, homework from both sides had began just thereafter and it borne fruits. Prachanda was very impatient to visit India as early as possible for two reasons. First, he was assured by India to meet his some vital demands. And second, he was hurrying to visit China early, which he could hardly afford before visiting India, as he wanted to satisfy the Indian false vanity of getting the first visit by a new Nepalese PM.
His aim to visit India was twofold. First, to take up formally all pending bilateral issues, except the issue of the submitting the EPG’s report, for which he was advised by various quarters. And second, the primary motive, was to concentrate on seeking Indian cooperation for sharing hydropower for mutual interests to minimize the trade deficit with India. Obviously, he was ready to improve relations with India by offering some hydrapower projects to it on the one hand and get India’s commitments on long-term hydropower sharing and other various matters like trade of hydropower with Bangladesh through India apart from some other agreements to enhance transport connectivity strengthening the Nepal-India trade relationship, on the other.
He displayed his realism by accepting the truth that the traditional natural resources like forest and agriculture couldn’t rescue him from the economic hardship except harnessing the water resources. He, therefore, dared to handover the two hydropower projects (669 MW Lower Arun and 480 MW Pukhet Karnali) to India with the knowledge that the government has already handed over the 750 MW West Seti and 450 MW Seti River-6 Arun-3with 900 MW. Altogether, India has now to develop and complete 3249 MW projects. Hence, he is being alleged to have surrendered before India without introspecting that as to why Nepal was deprived of the benefits of the vast wealth of water resources, especially its hydropower for such a long time keeping millions of people below poverty line and forcing millions of youth to work in other countries for their bread and better.
Significantly, he did raise the pending grave issues like border disputes knowing well that such issues cannot be solved at one go. It requires long cool deliberations by bringing the opposite side on the table with amicable and friendly mind. If we are confrontational from the beginning, it will lead us nowhere. He also showed his wisdom by not taking up the issue of submitting of EPG’s ( E (eminent) P (prominent or Paharia or hilly ) and G ( group)report, with no people’s mandate to suggest measures affecting millions of Madhesis settled long before any treaty was signed including the treaty of Sugauli (1815)..
Prachanda is known for his flexibility, as he can turn his coat any time to suit his interest. It has been proved by his recent decision. He along with Dr . Baburam Bhattarai, the second Maoist PM, had displayed their revolutionary images by presenting them in western dress ((with tie and suit) while taking the oath of the office. He continued to wear it during his second oath taking ceremony and in all official functions thereafter. However, he suddenly changed his mind by discarding the western dress while taking the oath for the third time by putting on the traditional official dress of Daura and suruwal. Perhaps, he realized his earlier mistake and put himself in a new avatar, as a hard core nationalist not lesser in any degree than others who claim to be so. Further looking back, he was anti-India while taking up arms against the state in 1996, as the most of the Maoists’ demands were against India. However, he changed his mind with Dr. Bhattarai and wrote to the Indian PMO for cooperating with India in 2003.Recently, he has offered prayers in Hindu temples both in India and Nepal even claiming to be a Marxist. It is guessed that it will be no wonder he may denounce his armed-revolution as the Maoist folly against the state in which 13000 people were killed on any fine morning.
Perhaps, his erratic change of mind failed to attract the Indian trust, as it was believed that an agreement for buying 10,000 MW electricity by India will be signed and the trade treaty would be signed for twenty-five years. Surprisingly, the deal was not signed. However, PM Modi announced the deal during the joint press conference only. The trade treaty was signed only for ten years. Similarly, it was also anticipated that India would allow at least one-air entry point for incoming international flights to Nepal. But no such commitment was made. It has been agreed that the submission of DPR of Pancheshwar is to be completed within three months, which has been pending since several decades despite PM Modi ‘s commitment for submitting it within three months during his first visit to Nepal in 2014. It may be possible that India may be waiting and watching how Prachanda concludes his visit to China, as it is believed that for certain Nepalese leaders, the road to Beijing is through New Delhi. Hence the Indian course of action will emerge gradually.
It is a truism that any diplomacy has marginal benefits. It is the geographic situation and the cultural tie, which bind two nations together. Moreover, in our case the geographic proximity was decided by nature millions of years ago. We cannot make our rivers to flow northward nor can we stop their flow. Since then our necks are tied together. Perhaps, India is assessing whether there is change of heart of Prachanda towards India or simply his mind, as mind can be changed in varying circumstances but heart does not. If India is interested in having better relations with Nepal, we should also reciprocate with self-respect and in mutual interests.
