Neighbour`s memoir

Published : Dec 04, 2009 00:00 IST

INDIA cannot be always in the wrong goes the retort and it is a valid one. But it misses the glaring fact that India has been locked in dispute with every single neighbour. Forget Pakistan and China, what of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal?

It is Nepal that has borne the brunt of Indias Big Brother attitude. In 1990, as External Affairs Minister, I.K. Gujral, author of the Gujral Doctrine, secretly proposed a treaty to the king, who was then resisting a popular upheaval, which was worse than the treaty of 1950. Jawaharlal Nehru had called it obsolete in 1955. Nepal has been clamouring for its review. India has been dragging its feet.

The text is published in an excellent work (Dynamics of Foreign Policy and Law: A Study of Indo-Nepal Relations; Oxford; pages 253-257) by the Nepali scholar Surya P. Subodi, Professor of International Law, University of Leeds. It is published also in an invaluable collection of documents by the scholarly compiler Avtar Singh Bhasin in Nepal-India, Nepal-China Relations 1947-2005 (Geetika Publishers; Volume 1; pages 1311-1315).

Himal Books, publishers of the truly South Asian monthly Himal, have published the memoirs of M.P. Koirala, thanks to Ganesh Raj Sharma, who was entrusted the task of seeing them in print by Koiralas widow, Manju. His son Kamal Prasad and Sharma were classmates at the Banaras Hindu University. Koirala had submitted an earlier draft to a reputed New Delhi publisher, who scandalously, reported that he had lost it.

Koirala wrote again and was able to complete his life-story up to the point of his appointment as Prime Minister in 1951, at the age of 39. His more popular brother B.P. Koirala was passed over, and differences arose between them. B.P. became Prime Minister in the first elected government in 1959. Ganesh Raj Sharma also arranged publication of B.P. Koiralas memoirs Atmabittanta, which Himal Books published in 2001.

The two volumes must be read together. They reveal how Nehru shepherded Nepals transition to a democracy and became involved as mediator between the brothers and between the brothers and the king. They reveal not only his own notions of relations between the two countries but record how successive Indian Ambassadors behaved as if they were New Delhis viceroys. This charge was levelled also against J.N. Dixit when he was High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

M.P. Koirala died a much misunderstood man in 1997. His recollections are interesting and useful. One half of the book comprises appendices of unpublished documents, beginning with the minutes of talks between Nehru, M.P. Koirala and Ganesh Man Singh in New Delhi on May 28, 1947. The meeting was arranged by Aruna Asaf Ali and Mir Mushtaque Ahmad. The last document is of 1990. A good few are in Hindi. One wishes they had been translated into English.

For quite some time, Nehru prevented Nepal from establishing diplomatic relations with other countries and even prevailed on Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai not to send an Ambassador to Kathmandu, warning him that if he did the United States would follow suit. In this, as on much else in foreign policy, Nehru followed British policies, not seldom rather clumsily. He reminded Koirala on April 25, 1952, that India and Nepal had agreed that in regard to foreign matters there will be every attempt at coordination.

N.B. Shah, Nepals Ambassador to India, wrote to Koirala on October 5, 1954: Re: Our negotiations with China, the Government of India feels that we should cautiously proceed in the matter and be in close consultation with the Government of India. They do not believe the Chinese government thoroughly. American charge de affairs Mr Kennedy asked me about the reported negotiations between China and Nepal and I had assured him very tactfully that nothing will be done against the American interest as U.K., U.S.A., France and Burma besides India are our allies and friends. But the Foreign Ministers foolish outburst and statements place me here in a very awkward position I request you not to allow the Foreign Minister to make boring statement prior to Cabinets approval. Nepal and Nepals problems are proving to be too ticklish for India, an object of sympathy to some and ridicule to others. Top circles in Delhi look rather worried about affairs in Nepal.

The Kashmir issue will be taken to the Security Council and India is going to be sharply criticised. Ceylon is not in complete agreement with Indian Foreign policy. Goas handling by India has aligned the Western bloc against India. Panditji, I am told, is much worried and upset with the international developments in spite of his best efforts to ease the world tension. Indian opinion is inclined to think that one wrong step by India and India will be torn to pieces by the American power bloc. I am also doing spade work with diplomats whom I am courting to decipher by groups for supporting out application to U.N.O. membership when it comes. I was advised by some of these friends that our case study should, this time, be sponsored by Britain and not by India. Because Britain today is more acceptable to the majority of U.N.O. members than India.

Nationalism and worse have affected most Indian writings on Nepal, winning the court historian rich rewards.

Sign in to Unlock member-only benefits!
  • Bookmark stories to read later.
  • Comment on stories to start conversations.
  • Subscribe to our newsletters.
  • Get notified about discounts and offers to our products.
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment