Delhi for Nepal Army crackdown on Maoists

Both New Delhi and Kathmandu are looking forward to the visit as a number of issues of bilateral concern, such as the Maoist threat to the Himalayan Kingdom, would be discussed. King Gyanendra will be accompanied by his Home Minister Purna Bahadhur Khadka. The Nepalese Maoists are giving New Delhi sleepless nights, especially after their last blockade of Kathmandu in December proved largely successful till it was withdrawn.

New Delhi’s agenda will be hinged on three points: Tangible steps towards strengthening of multi-party democracy; striking down any retrograde step to further destablise the political parties in Nepal and directions to the Royal Nepalese Army to engage the Maoists and stabilise the situation.

While the King continues to be suspicious of the political parties, New Delhi wants him to move towards getting the parties to get their act together. This could be done, New Delhi feels, by the King calling for an all-party conference.

The other option is that the King appoint a committee, headed by a political leader, which would suggest a roadmap for the restoration of Parliament. The King’s role would then be confined to a constitutional monarch. New Delhi knows that it would be difficult to persuade King Gyanendra in this direction, as the monarch was all prepared to sack the Deuba government towards the year-end. This move was blocked only after India intervened.

As far as the Maoists are concerned, New Delhi wants the King to direct the RNA to show its capability on the ground. The South Block is not averse to Kathmandu engaging the Maoists in a dialogue but simultaneously wants the RNA to launch operations against them.

New Delhi feels only when the King gets the political parties on his side and the RNA makes the Maoists feel the heat, will the Left wing extremists relent and come to the negotiating table.

India along with the US and the UK have rapidly expanded the capability of the RNA by pumping in huge amount of hardware, including troop-ferrying helicopters and armoured personnel carriers.

Knowing that its manoeuvring space is getting constricted with the growing Maoist threat, New Delhi has little time for friendly banter with King Gyanendra this time.