In her lengthy field report from India's Chhatisgarh state just before 75 federal paramilitary were massacred by Indian Maoists on 6 April, Arundhati Roy described Naxalites as 'Gandhians with guns'. She has since been ridiculed by commentators in the mainstream Indian press for her statement.
For us in the Nepali media, there is a sense of d�j� vu. There was similar ignorance, apathy and disinterest in the Kathmandu establishment following the first attacks on police stations in Rolpa in 1996-97. The political parties in Kathmandu were too preoccupied with coalition horse-trading to notice a brewing revolution, and totally underestimated the fires feeding it.
If anything, the Indian mainstream is much more jingoistic than we in the Nepali media ever were. It regularly uses the phrase 'blood-thirsty terrorists' to describe the Naxalites, and the federal state appears to be in favour of making the same mistake as our own Home Ministry did with Kilo Sierra 2 in unleashing an indiscriminate crackdown, that ended up helping Maoist recruitment here.
Whether we like it or not, a hardline Indian response to the Naxalites will have a bearing on us. New Delhi now sees its domestic security issue linked with the possibility of a Maoist-led government in a neighbouring country with which it has an open border. Our own Maoists see the Nepal government's recent climbdown from the Indian-backed MRP deal as proof that there are limits to Indian influence in Kathmandu, and think they can propel themselves to power though a street uprising in May.
What is holding things up here is that the Maoists are digging in to defend their position of not allowing an extension of the CA if they are not allowed to lead a new government. The Nepal government has said no problem, but give up the threat of violence first. And everyone is blaming everyone else for the lack of agreement.
It is not in the interest of any of the political parties in the CA (including the Maoists) that the post-May 28 constitutional vacuum be filled by an illegitimate 'might is right' force. Extending the CA's term is no answer unless the parties demonstrate that they can find a power-sharing agreement. Which is why, even at this late hour, they must focus their energies on:
* amending the interim constitution to buy time to finish the new constitution
* agreeing on an all-party national government, preferably before May 28
* getting the peace process back on track
The YCL chief describes himself as a 'Buddha'. No one is going to believe him unless his gunmen first turn into Gandhians.
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