Masroor Ahmad
Extremely populated South Asia with two atomic powers is a region of growing, indeed crucial, importance to the rest of the world. India being the largest country with expansionist agenda particularly under BJP’s Hindutva ideology has put the whole region into crisis, while its unlawful actions have created cries for disputed area of Jammu and Kashmir and other neighboring states. Indian flirtation and infiltration with the neighbouring countries may be an interesting subject of research for the academic scholars. A thickly populated India is a hostile neighbour and its current border disputes with China and Nepal have exposed her hegemonic designs despite the fact that almost half of the Indian population is living in miserable conditions with poor health, education and infrastructure thus forcing the regional countries to follow its footprints for massive spending on defense due to broad daylight security threats from the rogue state. Many may not know that India has a historical and consistent record of bad behaviour and creating border disputes with all its neighbours. In the recent history, India absorbed Hyderabad Deccan, Sikkim, Goa and Junagarh through military aggression. Whereas it annexed many states with Indian union by way of deception and foul play. It illegally occupies part of Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland. It has fought wars with Pakistan and China and militarily intervened in Sri Lanka and Maldives. India has also stationed permanent forces in Bhutan, and has water as well as territorial disputes with Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
The geographical linkages establish emerging connection both with Nepal and China which needs to be proliferated in the context of recent Indo Nepal and Indo China crisis. India seems to have been trapped in the cobweb it tried to build for Nepal and India. Chanakya (Preverbal use of word for wickedness though I respect Chanakya being great scholar of his age based in Pakistan’s Taxila region) is up again and this time it’s the Kingdom of Nepal. After the Indian government inaugurated a link road to connect India with Kailash Mansarovar of China via Lipulekh region, a Nepali territory, various youth organisations in Kathmandu staged protests to mount pressure on their government to take necessary steps to make India return the territory. Although a very small nation yet Nepalese Government and citizens haven’t submitted to India and maintained their sovereignty by objecting to Indian infringement on their territory. The internet was abuzz with trends like #HandsOffNepal and #IndiaGoBack after Indian infiltration into a ‘brotherly Hindu state.’ Indian ministry of External Affairs was quick in responding and falsely claiming that the road followed an existing route over which pilgrims travel to perform Yatra in Kailash Mansarovar (in China) and thus it was an Indian territory. However this move is a clear violation of the agreement between both the countries that India will not infiltrate without the mutual consent of Nepal for launch of any projects in the disputed territories.
India has violated a number of treaties with its neighbours and has always deflected attention away from the opposing point of view through jugglery and Chanakyan tactics. The recent absurd policy of including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in weather bulletins is a case in point. Being slave to the other ethnicities and invaders for thousands of years, the slave mentality is evident from the Indian attitude and apparently they seem to be victim of inferiority complex planning to avenge on others after getting to self-rule. They behave well when governed but vice versa when given the chance to govern. The Indo-Nepal treaty of 1950 is heavily tilted in Indian favour and because of her sheer size and military potential, India has violated it a number of times. Nepalese law does not permit an open border, and Indians, by law, should not be able to buy lands and properties in Nepal or carry out businesses in their names. The 1950 treaty was signed by undemocratic rulers of Nepal and can be scrapped by a one-year notice. The treaty has been unpopular especially among Pahari segments of Nepal, who often regard it as a breach of its sovereignty.
India is now misinterpreting the Sugauli Treaty – signed between the East India Company and Nepal in 1816 – which marks the Kalapani River as the western border of Nepa while India maintains that the river begins in the village of Kalapani, Nepal claims that it begins from Lipulekh Pass. The Indian attempt to nibble Nepalese territory may have far reaching consequences for Indo Nepal bilateral relations as well as Indian diplomatic credibility in South Asia as a peaceful neighbour. The Modi-Amit-Doval (MAD) circus has not realised that thousands of Gorkhas serve in Indian Army and other services; like the Sikh soldiers who revolted against Indian army in 80s, these Gorkha soldiers could also feel resentment in their rank and file, and may decide to adopt the path chosen by Sikh officers and soldiers after Operation Blue Star.
India has repeatedly exploited mutual treaties and agreements with neighbours and Nepal is no exception. Almost all SAARC members, save Pakistan, have reluctantly cooperated with India because of its geographical centrality and coercive power. They may have to join hands at the SAARC platform to fight Indian aggressive posturing and arm twisting in case India continued with its nefarious agenda in the region.
In the same way, Indo China conflict has a history since early Sixties. China which is now a mighty power badly thrashed India in 1962 in both North Eastern and North Western line of Actual Control. Indo China border does not exist, it is the longest undemarcated border (3500kms) in the world but unlike Nepal here India is helpless. The ‘Indian lion hearts’ are fond of bullying only to the weak neighbours and their minorities. As reported by Indian media, some 5000 to 7000 Chinese troops have crossed the LAC in Indian Occupied Ladakh. Indian military and political leadership is very quiet and looks to have been paralyzed. Indian defence analysts like Ajay Shukla,Brahma Chellaney and Pravin Swahni are criticising Indian leadership for the face loss who were found very respondent in matters of border disputes with Nepal and Pakistan. While India was boasting about attacking Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, it got a slap on the face from Chinese Dragon.
The bizarre Indian media is doing a cover up and telling public that some Indian troops were briefly detained by Chinese Army. They must know that Abhinandan was also briefly detained by Pakistan and was released. Can Indian troops becoming Prisoner of War for 48 hrs be called to have been briefly detained? Indian Army and intelligence apparatus failed Indian nation for which Indian leadership should be booked. Had Indian media and other state institutions been independent, Ajit Doval, Bipin Rawat and Indian Army Chief Naravane would have met their end by losing their ‘jobs’. Amidst the explosive triangle of India, China and Nepal—Covid 19, Cyclone Amphan, Andes of territory in Laddakh are serious Strategic Shocks to Modi and his RSS Cabal. One wonders, if it is Karma biting India?