KAMAL RIMAL

India responded to the Maoist campaign for national independence and civilian supremacy by protesting in the border area of Dashgaja. Protestors burned an effigy of chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Indian security personnel roughed up Nepalis living near the border. By doing this, India wanted to send out a message, 'obey me or else you will meet the same fate'.

There is a Nepali fable in which a wolf attacks a lamb because it muddies a shared pond. India, which is 32 times bigger in size and 45 times bigger in population, is acting like the wolf. India is nurturing its ambition to become the world's most powerful country and intends to bully its neighbours. It is pressurising the Nepal government to agree on an extradition treaty and air marshal agreement and now it is harassing Nepali people in border areas.

Instead of protesting against such Indian offenses, Nepali corporate media and 'intellectuals' criticise the Maoists for launching the movement for nationalism, which they say has troubled the public. They are happy when politicians get a bad name. Loyalists who receive favours from India and are ready to live under oppression have made Indian atrocities tools against the Maoists. Indian atrocities are fuel for corporate media and 'intellectuals' to lash out against the Maoist movement. However, the relation between the two countries' people will not deteriorate as desired by the rulers.