Kathmandu unrest

Sir, - The recent anti-India sentiments that took a violent turn in Kathmandu were not merely the handiwork of mischief mongers but definitely brewing negative sentiments against the friendly neighbour, India. Being a land-locked country, Nepal's only outlet to the world is through India and like any underdeveloped country, it too is gripped with the problems of development. As a result, the common Nepali citizen feels that all their ill stems from India. The uneasy relationship between the two countries is not new and has a long history.

In the Eighties, when India frowned upon Nepal's pro-China policy, it was seen by Nepalese as an infringement of their sovereignty. There was a widespread resentment in Nepal over the construction of the Tanakpur power project by India. Then the fuss over the renewal of trade and transit treaty between the two countries is still fresh in memory with India blocking major transit routes and laying embargo on many products to Nepal. However, over the years, successive governments in New Delhi have amicably sorted out all the major irritants with Kathmandu and a wide ranging cooperation between the two countries has started on an even keel, but all is not well on the economic and social front in Nepal.

With the liberalisation of Indian economy, Nepalese are facing economic competition from Indians who are gradually controlling majority of their business establishments. Socially also they lag far behind India and can be categorised with some of the underdeveloped regions of our country. All this has stacked anti- India sentiments over the years and there are any number of politicians in Nepal who are ready to cash in on such feelings. The recent unrest in Kathmandu has to be seen in this context.

Syed Ali Mujtaba,

Chennai

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