Parties concerned over Kathmandu episode

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC 29. The anti-India agitation in Nepal has upset all the major political parties, but their perception of the events is vastly different.

The Bharatiya Janata Party today expressed the view that the hijack of an Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu exactly a year ago may not be entirely unconnected to the events unfolding in Nepal now. On the other hand, the Congress has found fault with the Government for ``mishandling'' the recent episode by not taking up the issue with Nepal as soon as it had happened.

The CPI general secretary, Mr. A. B. Bardhan, went a step further, by suggesting that a number of other issues - differences and irritants in Indo-Nepal relations - helped the alleged statement by film star Hrithik Roshan to develop into a full-scale anti-India agitation.

The BJP vice-president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi, expressed concern at the turn of events, especially since India and Nepal have enjoyed friendly and warm relations. Hinting at the hand of Pakistan's ISI, Mr. Krishnamurthi said ``those behind the hijacking last year could also be behind the anti-India stir whipped up in the last few days.'' He hoped the probe ordered by Nepal into the events that led to a baseless report being published in a newspaper (the alleged anti-Nepal sentiments expressed by film star Hrithik Roshan in a television interview) which, in turn, was whipped up into an anti-India hysteria ``would bring out the details of what was behind this.''

Pointing out that a ``non-issue'' became the excuse for an anti- India outburst in the Nepalese capital this time, the hijacking was also an ``anti-India act''. While saying that there were ``certain elements in Nepal'' which do not want a healthy relationship between the two countries, he emphasised that ``if it was in India's interest to have friendly relations with Nepal, equally it was in Nepal's interest to have friendly relations with India''.'

Mr. Bardhan mentioned that ``small neighbouring countries were generally suspicious of a big country'' and there were a number of issues, such as border trade, travel facilities from one country to another, and water management which have to settled to mutual satisfaction for the relationship to improve.

There were certain treaties and agreements between the two countries which were ``less than equal,'' and this could be a source of tension. However, he was clear was that the Hrithik's ``alleged statement was not a case for allowing anti-India sentiments to grow or get out of hand.''

The Congress spokesman, Mr. Prithviraj Chauhan, alleged that the Centre did not move quickly enough, that it had ``mishandled'' the whole affair, with the result that a small matter had led to a no-confidence motion against the Nepalese Government.

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