"Anything that happens in neighbourhood, repercussions on India can be huge:" Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar on Nepal crisis

New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar on Friday shared bgis views on the resignation of Nepal's KP Sharma Oli and the Gen-Z protests, calling the development "sudden" and "totally unexpected," while highlighting its wider implications for India.

On India's approach, Sajjanhar said, "India had been reaching out to all the countries in our neighbourhood. Our Neighbourhood First policy and you also know our Act East policy but then it all doesn't depend only on India. You know as they say, it needs two to tango. You need two hands to clap. So there has to be an equal desire on the other as far as the other countries are concerned."

He cited examples from the region. "We have seen that happening in Sri Lanka, notwithstanding the fact that AKD, you know President Desanayake, the way he came and JVP the party, they were vehemently opposed towards India. But then they have come back and we are having good relations even as far as the Maldives is concerned, the India Out campaign. Even if you look at I go slightly further than that in Afghanistan and the Taliban came into power in 2021. But now our relations are on a functional level. We have not recognised the Taliban administration but at a functional level our relations are improving, are stabilising and you know there are news reports that even Mr. Mutakki the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan also might come to India. So the fact is that India has been proactive in this approach. India has also been proactive as far as Nepal is concerned."

Recalling India's past engagement, he added, "Because if you remember in 2014 when Prime Minister Modi went to Nepal in August of 2014. That was the first bilateral visit of an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of 17 years. And after that he has you know tried to cultivate all the neighbouring countries. Nepal he has been there I think four or five times notwithstanding the interregnum that was created by the COVID-19 pandemic."

On the latest crisis in Nepal, Sajjanhar remarked, "My first response is that it is very sudden and it is totally unexpected. But obviously, you know this social media ban on 26 apps, that was just a trigger. That was literally the last straw on the camel's back."

Explaining the anger among Nepal's youth, he said, "That means there was a discontent and dissatisfaction that was within the people, particularly as far as the youth is concerned, Gen Z, as you said and you know as it is being called the Gen Z revolution. So there was huge discontent, there was oppression, and the government had completely lost the confidence of the people. And that is why they rose up like one."

He pointed out how the protests went beyond the ban on apps. "Although 26 apps had been banned, but still they were able to get this message out through one or two apps like TikTok which were available. And they all came together. And obviously it was not the ban on the social media apps because if that had been the case, then this ban had been lifted yesterday. So you know people, the students would have gone back. But of course the discontent was much more deep-rooted and much more significant."

According to him, Nepal's political class had failed to address people's concerns. "KP Sharma Oli, Pushp Kamal Dahal Prachand, Sher Bahadur Dweba, Madhav Nepal. They have been running their musical chairs for the last 15-20 years. And the dissatisfaction among the people. Nothing is being done about it. But they have been changing their leaders."

On what lies ahead, Sajjanhar said, "We will really have to wait and see as to how it develops. Because you know it has been mentioned that these are all spontaneous organic protests that have been taking place. There is no political party that has sort of you know or any other organisation or institution that can come and which can take charge. So we will really have to wait and see."

He warned that India must remain vigilant. "For the time being as far as our borders are concerned you know with Nepal we have a free border. People can come in and go out. So that has to be manned to see that you know there are no problematic people who are coming in. It has also been reported that there might have been you know some infiltrators in these protests. Some provocateurs in these protests. So I think we will have to keep a very close eye on whatever is happening in Nepal. Because anything that happens in the neighbourhood the impact and the implications and the repercussions on India can be huge."

On the root causes of anger, he noted, "The people who were facing so many difficulties and so much pressure. Whether it was corruption or unemployment or inflation. The youth were not able to see any future. And they were seeing how much corruption there is in the government. And the leaders and officials of the government and their families and sons and daughters. How luxurious life they are leading. And the common people have nothing. So all this anger and anger was spreading in them. And this was like the last straw."

He underlined that Nepal must now find stability. "They are saying that there is a lot of politicisation of the student community. But they will have to come together. How to establish peace there. And how to bring stability, peace and tranquillity to their economic situation. And keep the economy in hand. And move towards prosperity."

On India's broader neighbourhood policy, Sajjanhar said, "We have been taking forward the Neighbourhood First Policy since 2014. We have been very successful in that. In improving our relations with Sri Lanka. Like there were a lot of problems in 2022. How did India help them? We helped them financially with 4.5 billion dollars. When they did not have any energy. They did not have food. They did not have any medicine or fertiliser. India helped them for all of this."

He concluded by stressing the strength of India-Nepal ties. "I think India and Nepal have a very old relationship. It is very historical. It is very civilisational. We have a very good people to people connection. The government that comes there. We will have to see that too. We will have to talk to them. We will have to make a connection with the political forces that come there. So that there is stability. Peace and stability. And they can move forward on the path of progress." (ANI)

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