Gyanendra146;s buddies

This is certainly not the most opportune moment for a former Indian foreign minister to fly out to Kathmandu at King Gynanendra8217;s invitation, when the people of Nepal are seething with a palpable rage against their monarch and are desperate to restore democracy in the country. Jaswant Singh, however, has chosen to accept the king8217;s invitation to visit Nepal at this juncture and that choice is entirely his, of course. Similarly if his party wishes to cosy up to the Narayanhiti Palace, that too is entirely its business. However, if the former minister and the BJP have taken these decisions on the basis that the only 8220;Hindu king8221; in the world needs their support, then they are on untenable ground.

Communalising foreign policy is dangerous business. The Indian Express has had occasion to strongly disagree with Left leaders when they had argued that India must not distance itself from Iran over its nuclear programme because that would alienate the Shias of this country. Similarly, statements from some elements within the Sangh Parivar strongly espousing 8220;Hindu8221; Gyanendra need to be categorically slammed and the BJP, as a responsible opposition party, requires to clearly distance itself from such a communal argument. If it does not choose to do so, it would amount to reversing its own stance while in government of perceiving 8220;constitutional monarchy8221; and 8220;multi-party democracy8221; as the two pillars of Nepal8217;s democracy 8212; a position that the UPA government had persisted with after coming to power.

King Gyanendra, on his part, has been astute enough to exploit India8217;s political faultlines. Increasingly isolated within his country and outside it, he has chosen to play the Hindu card several times in the recent past. The BJP must read his overtures for what they are 8212; desperate attempts of a beleaguered monarch to preserve a despotic and feudal regime which has completely lost its relevance in today8217;s Nepal.