- By Santoshi Shrestha,
Politics in South Asia is characterized by controversies. It assumes the persona of a South Asian politician. They enjoy controversies because they will be the center of attention. Politicians everywhere, not just those in Nepal, enjoy it. Puspa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, the prime minister of Nepal, recently revealed Pritam Singh’s role in the most recent political development in the country during a book launch event. He shared his thoughts on Pritam Singh, an Indian businessman who has lived in Nepal since 1950, and his contribution to the formation of his government. People from different walks of life used to help in developing relationships between nations when it came to diplomacy, especially informal diplomacy. In international politics, it occurs. Ping-Pong .diplomacy, an informal diplomacy, is famous among the students of diplomacy to strengthen relations between USA and China.
Nepali leaders, never talk critically and review the impact of their saying. They are emotional; don’t judge the impact, funny and sentimental. Though they have a good team of experts in their secretariat, seems they never suggest their leaders. Not only Prachanda, most of the Nepali leaders, bear the same character. Sometimes they even fail to follow diplomatic protocols. Recently, in a television interview with former P.M. of Nepal and senior leader of CPN( socialist), the leader of the ruling coalition J.N. Khanal expressed his view answering the question about Ukraine- Russia conflict, he used the word war. I don’t know how much he is aware of using such words. Russia from the beginning of the conflict has been using the word crisis and special operation and the Western world has been using the word – war. In international relations, such words bear a meaning. One can raise questions on the foreign policy of Nepal referencing him. He is part of the present government and says war can be understood as supporting Western ideas against Russia and the non-aligned foreign policy of Nepal. But he never gave a damn because other leaders, besides him, also utilize such methods.
Every action taken by the ruling government in Nepal has been criticized by the opposition because everything is politicized here. And the ruling parties or the government always support every move of the government whether it is good or bad. In Nepal, a left-democratic alliance is ruling the government while a left-right alliance is in opposition. Former Prime Ministers Madhav Nepal and Prachanda used to be well-wishers of Oli before the CPN split, and they are fond of one another. Following the dissolution of CPN, Oli established himself as a vocal opponent of Madhav and Prachanda. He always interprets the current regime critically. The comments made by the Prime Minister about Pritam Singh have been used as a weapon by Oli, the waiting P.M. in the current parliament to berate P.M.
When in a crisis, Nepali leaders have a unique ability to divert the subject. We had many unpleasant experiences. The then opposition brought up numerous scandals that occurred during the Oli administration, including the Pashupatinath gold scandal, the Omni scandal, the security press scandal, the wide-body scandal, the LalitaNiwas scandal, and others. These scandals were sidetracked one at a time by the introduction of fresh scandals. People today have almost forgotten about those scandals. Some claim that the Pushpa Kamal Dahal administration opened some old scandal files as a result of public pressure. Most of the top leaders have faced accusations from the general public. They are all somehow connected to the scandals, directly or indirectly.
The most anticipated and criticized scandal, the Bhutanese refugee scandal, surfaced with the aid of the media two months prior. Numerous well-known bureaucrats and politicians discovered suspects, and they are currently being investigated. Top BahadurRayamajhi, a former D.P.M. and UML secretary, and Bal Krishna Khand, a former home minister and leader of the Nepali Congress, are just a few names on the list of most likely suspects. Following this development, another scandal involving LalitaNiwas and two former prime ministers, Madhav Nepal, and BaburamBhattarai, gained media attention. According to reports, the prime minister made an effort to divert attention from the secret meeting between the ruling alliance and the opposition by bringing up Pritam Singh’s involvement in Nepali politics. The opposition is causing the problem, while the ruling coalition is defending it. The most recent scandal is currently receiving much attention, while the earlier scandals are being forgotten. Another scandal will emerge shortly after that, and the public and media will then talk about yet another incident that happened in Nepal.
A socialist forum has recently been established by four political parties. Global observers claim that China’s proactive diplomacy is what led to the formation of this left-leaning alliance. People note that there will be fierce competition in upcoming elections and that this alliance will threaten UML’s hegemony. UML will soon face pressure to align with the leftist movement. The USA, the West, and India are concerned about a strong united left force. The United States and the West consistently support democracy and oppose the presence of a potent Left force in Nepal. According to West India, this left-wing alliance will make China more powerful in Nepal. Future developments in Nepal will see a rise in Chinese influence, posing a threat to India’s dominant position. Since 1950, India, Nepal’s southern neighbor, has helped the country to establish democracy. India was witness to both the 1990 and 2006 democratic movements. China, another northern neighbor, also mentions its security interest in Nepal while India claims to have contributed to the development of a new democratic Nepal. China asserts that Nepal ought to be secure. Chinese security worries are influenced by its instability. Following MCC, a new face from the far West joined Nepali politics. The US and China’s rivalry in Nepali politics has been observed. China and the US are reportedly both worried about Chinese influence and US presence in Nepal. Some observers claim that the West attempted to derail the recently formed socialist alliance by exploiting the Pritam Singh controversy. We must watch how foreign players behave in Nepal in the near future. People contend that Pritam Singh is only a superficial issue and that there is something else going on behind the scenes. The competition among international players to dominate Nepal may be the cause.
-(Santoshi Shrestha is a journalist from Nepal who specializes in international relations)
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