A LETTER TO PRIMINISTER SHER BAHADUR DEUBA

इनेप्लिज २०७४ भदौ ७ गते २:०८ मा प्रकाशित

Right honorable Priminister

On the occasion of your state visit to India, I would like to bring following facts to your attention. You are visiting as a priminister of Nepal (not in your personal capacity) and that makes it important for every Nepali to be watchful and think about what agenda you have to discuss with your counterpart (Modiji) and the priminister Modi’s agenda to discuss with you. Every time when a priminster of Nepal visited India with few exceptions, Nepal has been badly cheated by India in the name of special relationship between. This has been well reflected in our foreign policy, water resource development treaties and other bilateral treaties with India. When Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) visited India about less than

This has been well reflected in our foreign policy, water resource development treaties and other bilateral treaties with India. When Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) visited India about less than year, the joint statement issued was not only objectionable but also deplorable because the joint statement implied that Nepal and India would jointly pursue the issues of international concerns. This, in effect, can be construed as the infringement on Nepal’s independent foreign policy based on the principles of non-alignment (panchasil). One can clearly see India’s attempt to bring Nepal more or less to Bhutan’s foreign policy status (Bhutan does not have any foreign policy of its own).

This is what India has been trying all the time since Nehru.  In the backdrop of this historical context, I would like to bring following points to your attention:Don’t issue any joint statement if that, in any way, undermines Nepal’s sovereignty and independent foreign policy based on the principles of non-alignment. You don’t have to sign such statement. KP Oli did not sign such joint statement in the past.

1.Don’t issue any joint statement if that, in any way, undermines Nepal’s sovereignty and independent foreign policy based on the principles of non-alignment. You don’t have to sign such statement. KP Oli did not sign such joint statement in the past.

2.Do not sign any new water resource development treaty or understanding that can have far reaching negative repercussions as had been the cases with Koshi and Gandak treaties.

3.Nepali people would consider your visit a success if you can convince your counterpart Modiji to expedite the Pnacheswor (Mahakali) treaty that you signed about 21 years ago if you remember. You signed that treaty 21 years ago and nothing has been done until now simply because India wants all the water from Pancheswor. As far as the equitable distribution of cost and benefits from electricity is concerned, Nepal is fine with that but equitable distribution of water and its uses is the major concern and Nepal must not be cheated on this.

4.You must have observed the recent floods in Terai-madesh which has inundated the whole region beyond our imagination and caused catastrophic loss of lives and properties, destroyed all agricultural cropped lands. There are two dimensions of this flood, one is natural and the other, is man-made. The flood dams constructed by India (man-made) unilaterally on the border with utter disregard of international law has caused the massive floods on Nepal’s side. Nepali people had been suffering from this tragedy every year. As a priminister of Nepal, can you raise this issue to you counterpart Modiji and make it an agendum of discussion?

5.Last but not least, it is the general perception that Nepal’s Priministers visit India to present their credentials to Indian rulers in Delhi and seek their blessings to stay in power in Nepal. The India’s naked interferences into the internal affairs of Nepal prove this point. Our foreign ministers visit New Delhi more than six times in less than a year (Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat in Prachanda’s 10 months rule visited New Delhi at least six times). This kind of attitude and behavior of Nepali politicians have become a common place phenomenon which gives reason to believe that the general perception is credible. I hope you are aware of this fact.

At the end, the measure of a politician is how much he or she can contribute to the prosperity of the people, the national interest and the integrity and sovereignty of their country.  This is a historic opportunity for you to do somethings good for your country.

Wish you all the best right honorable priminister !!

Respectfully

Prof. Gopi Upreti

 

 

 

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