(Indian Express
April 09, 2007)
Stop Sangh from stoking unrest in Nepal terai, Koirala tells PM, Atal
Shishir Gupta
NEW DELHI, APRIL 8: Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has sought the help of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to rein in the RSS and VHP from stoking the Madeshi movement that is currently sweeping the country’s terai region.
While he was here for the SAARC summit, Koirala met Manmohan Singh on April 2, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vajpayee on April 5 to discuss bilateral and regional issues. While economic cooperation was top of agenda, the veteran Nepali Congress leader asked the UPA government to strengthen deployment of security forces on the Indo-Nepal eastern border to stop RSS, VHP elements from encouraging the Madeshis.
Mostly of Indian stock, Madeshis account for 48 per cent of Nepal population and have been agitating for political rights commensurate to their strength. Spread across 39 of Nepal’s 75 districts, the Madeshis control around 44 seats in the 205 seat interim assembly.
One of the Madeshi outfits, the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, has been linked to the Maoists whose leadership is dominated by hill brahmins.
Government sources confirmed to The Indian Express that though Koirala did not name any Sangh Parivar leader, the reference was to BJP’s Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath and his supporters.
The RSS and VHP have been traditional supporters of the now powerless Nepal monarchy, the VHP in particular openly backing King Gyanendra.
The Koirala government is convinced that Gyanendra is using his support within the Sangh Parivar to raise temperatures in the terai region.
Present at Koirala’s meeting with Vajpayee were former Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha and former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra. By asking Vajpayee for help, Koirala wanted him to convey a message to the RSS leadership in Nagpur.
While Vajpayee heard out Koirala, Pranab Mukherjee favoured stronger controls on the Indo-Nepal border to stop RSS-VHP elements from creating problems for the Koirala government.
|
