In the recently held national elections to the Parliament in Nepal, the Communist Party (United Marxist-Leninist) has emerged as a powerful force. It is still unclear whether the Nepalese Communists will form government or share power with others or not. There will be considerable horse-trading as no single party has won an absolute majority in the house so far. Quite apart from who finally is able to make government, the fact remains that the Communists are a big force in the Himalayan kingdom. This is surprising considering the fact that the neighboring territories have in recent decades shown no great preference for Communism. Communists continue to remain in token presence in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The N.C.P. Chief Manmohan Adhikari in a recent media interview indicated his party’s unhappiness with the Chinese Communist Party for supporting, until the last, the Nepalese Congress of B.P. Koirala, whom he calls a party of the Nepalese establishment, to that extent; the N.G.P. does not seem much indebted to the Chinese Communists. The emergence of the Communists as a mighty organization in Nepal is all the more puzzling as seen in the context of the collapse of Soviet Union as well as the weakening of the National Marxist in China, Does that imply that Marxist shall attracts the most poor in Asia? The Nepalese elections alone, in insolation from similar developments in Southeast Asia, cannot provide a final answer. Most parties in Nepal are either pro Monarchy or pro India. It is both anti India and antimonarchy. The N.CP. Has been providing an anti-India platform. Even before assuming power, the N.C.P. leader Manmohan Adhikari attacked India for its efforts to prop up the Nepalese Congress. He demanded a review of certain treaties between India and Nepal. Adhikari also declared that his party was in favor of extending economic ties with Bangladesh and Pakistan. Adhikari demanded facilities from India in that connection although he promised to back up Nepal’s special relations with India. Adhikari’s statement critical of the Chinese ‘Communist Party should be a reassuring development for India which has been regarding the leftist movement in Nepal as a mere appendage of the Chinese. In the short run India, therefore, would not mind withdrawing its ambassador from Nepal as demanded by Adhikari. But in the long run India cannot feel comfortable with N.C.P. being entrenched in its back yar Dasan anti India force. Already several underground armed movements in the India’s northeast have leftist I earnings. These developments could be disturbing to India even while its relations with Beijing have been on the mend in recent years. In the intricate politics of the Indian subcontinent, the emergence of Marxist in Nepal need not be viewed in the global straightjacket. It is at best a part of the chain that goes against Indian ruling class’s big brotherly arrogance annoying small nations like Muslims, Sikhs, Assamese and not Gorkhas. Any other interpretation of the Nepalese elections is most likely to be off the mark. The correct conclusion is that Indian arrogance needs to be checked before it leads to further chaos in Southeast Asia.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 25, 1994