April 19, 2004 ☼ Foreign Affairs
India is seriously concerned about the deteriorating security scenario in Nepal, where Maoist insurgents are steadily expanding their influence forcing panic-stricken Nepalese to flee across the border. In New Delhi’s view, neither King Gyanendra nor the Nepalese political parties have shown any urgency to reverse the rapid slide of the Himalayan kingdom towards chaos and anarchy.
India’s envoy to Nepal, Mr Shyam Saran, called on the King last week to impress on the need to install a multi-party representative government to deal with the situation, official and diplomatic sources here said.
The ambassador also called on leaders of the two main Opposition parties - Mr Girija Prasad Koirala of Nepali Congress and Mr Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) - and urged them close ranks in the larger interests of the country.
However, senior officials here deny that India has suggested that the Prime Minister, Mr Surya Bahadur Thapa should go and a new government be installed in Kathmandu.
“We are not in the business of government formation in neighbouring countries or installing X, Y or Z as prime minister,” one official asserted.
He said it had been India’s consistent view that multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy were the two pillars providing the space for peaceful accommodation and resolution of differences as well as for political stability and economic development of Nepal. [Navhind Times]
Related Links: In Asia Times and Nepali Times
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