King does a Musharraf in Nepal
[ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2005 05:10:14 PM ] Times of India
New Delhi: King Gyanendra has taken Nepal on a dangerous course by sacking Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and taking over all executive powers, officials and analysts said, and likened his action to "doing a Musharraf."
The king's action is contrary to New Delhi's considered advice for a consensus between the monarchy and the political parties to deal with the Maoist problem, they said.
Although the developments were not completely unexpected, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed the situation in the Himalayan Kingdom with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran.
The developments in the Nepal came a day after a senior Indian official expressed concern about the security situation there and emphasised there had to be a political solution to the Maoist problem.
India, which has been providing military assistance to Kathmandu to deal with the Maoist problem, has been pressing political parties to come together on a common platform.
New Delhi's position had been backed by both Washington and London who had been taking keen interest in the developments in Nepal. Both these governments urged the king to exercise caution and deal politically with the Maoists.
"There is need for a clear understanding between the monarchy and political parties to fashion a strategy to deal with the Maoist problem," the official said.
"There has to be a combination of military and political measures to meet the situation," he added.
Former Foreign Secretary Salman Haider described the king's action as a setback to the democratic process in the kingdom.
"It is a very difficult situation there. It is a setback to the democratic process in the country. In the last few years we have seen a progressive deterioration in the process," he said and noted the politicians had not been able to come together to challenge the king's actions.
"In taking the step, the king has put himself on a very dangerous course," C Raja Mohan of the Centre for South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University said.
"But it was expected for some time that the king will do a Musharraf in Nepal," Raja Mohan said, referring to bloodless coup by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, then army chief, against the elected civilian government in 1999.
He said if the king succeeded in bringing the Maoists to the negotiation table, he might be able to assuage the unease in India and the international community to some extent.
"He is betting that once there is an accord the world will accept him. But going by the record it is unlikely that the king will show such wisdom at this stage," he added.
"Whether the king can find a solution to the country's problems is very, very doubtful. The tide is against him because of various problems - economic, political and the Maoists." said Arvind Deo, a former ambassador to Nepal.
Deo said New Delhi should help Nepal address its problems because instability there could lead to an exodus to India.
"The king is risking not only the stability and security of Nepal, he is risking the integrity of the country which he is trying to save," he said.
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