India, as seen by Maoists

Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan By B Raman: "As Nepal goes through a serious political crisis in the wake of the coup staged on February 1 by King Gyanendra with the backing of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA), which is increasingly frustrated over its continuing failure in its counter-insurgency operations against the country's Maoists, it is necessary to see how the Nepalese Maoists view India so that one has some idea of the likely implications for India if the Maoists manage to capture power in Kathmandu. It is also important to monitor the reactions of the Maoists of India to India's policy in Nepal.

* Backed by US imperialism, Indian expansionism is directly intervening against the great People's War. This has been further demonstrated by the arrests of several responsible comrades including comrade Kiran, the veteran member of the standing committee of our party, in different cities of India recently.

* Following the expansionist doctrine of [former Indian premier Jawaharlal] Nehru, that regards the Himalayan ranges as its border, the Indian ruling class is advancing with vicious intrigue and conspiracy with the strategy of either Bhutanizing or Sickimmizing Nepal.

* The Indian monopoly capitalist rulers, who have always backed destabilization and anarchy in Nepal, have now been openly threatening Nepal with their ill intention of bringing Nepal under their control through military intervention and by conducting massacres of the patriotic and self-respecting Nepalese people in the name of support to the so-called war against terrorism.

This is what the Communist Party of India (Maoist) had to say in December, 2004:
* In the light of the growing civil war in the country [India], the new UPA [United Progressive Alliance government headed by Dr Manmohan Singh] government in India has been exhibiting its expansionist fangs against the people of Nepal right from the day it came to power. Treading the earlier NDA [the National Democratic Alliance Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee] path, it has forged close links with the genocidal King Gyanendra, seeking to prop it up in every way possible. This despot has arrived on a high profile state visit to India to conspire for greater Indian assistance to crush the ongoing people's war in Nepal. [My comment: This is not correct. The king postponed the visit at the last minute in December, 2004, due to the death of Narasimha Rao, former Indian prime minister]

* To prepare the ground for direct Indian military intervention, the Indian government as a first step beefed up its border vigil to ensure a safe passage for its armed forces when they will enter Nepal to fight along with the RNA against the Maoists.

* In the first week of December, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee strategically declared that India will render all assistance to the Royal Nepal Army, like supplying all types of military equipment, training RNA personnel and sealing the border. It is not difficult to understand the significance of this statement. The Indian ruling classes are going to wage an undeclared and deceitful war against the Nepalese people and the People's Liberation Army under the leadership of the CPN-Maoist.

* The CPM [Communist Party-Marxists, the ruling party in West Bengal], one of the main props of the UPA government at the center [Delhi], kept mum on the decision of the government and the visit of the king. In West Bengal, where it is in power, it is not sparing any chance to play its role in crushing the revolution in Nepal in the name of opposing 'terrorism'. Its police forces have arrested many leaders and activists of the CPN-Maoist, including Comrade Mohan Baidya, one of the topmost leaders, in West Bengal.

B Raman is additional secretary (retired), cabinet secretariat, government of India, and, presently, director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and distinguished fellow and convener, Observer Research Foundation, Chennai Chapter. Email: corde@vsnl.com

(Copyright B Raman)"