NEIGHBOURHOOD WOES

Two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu were at the receiving end of the Maoist ire in Nepal recently. The incident is not an isolated one. Ousted from power, the Maoists have found India to be favourite whipping boy to stoke Nepalese sentiments and project the existing regime as an Indian stooge. Wittingly or unwittingly, the Maoists are falling into the trap of the Chinese, who are slowly but steadly increasing their presence and influence in the Himalayan state.

While one appreciates the Nepalese concerns over India’s alleged ‘big brother’ attitude, one would also expect them to look at and ponder over the fate of their Tibetan brethren, who have been reduced to a minority in their own country by the Han Chinese.

The Maoist attack on Indian priests is not an attack on India but an assault on Nepal’s own culture and traditions. The sooner the Nepalese realize it, the better for them.