Do not manipulate Bhutans democracy
It is only with sadness that one can read Sandeep Dikshits report in HIndu newspaper, here, as to how ham-handed India has been toward Bhutan, crudely interfering in its internal affairs. Not only is the Indian establishment advertising itself to be intellectually bankrupt but the Indian leadership has flagged that the more things seem to change in our countrys neighbourhood policies, the more they remain the same.
The upshot of what happened can be summed up as follows. In the first round of parliamentary election in Bhutan in May, the results showed that the ruling Druk Phuensum Tshogpa had a strong winning card to get re-elected, something which made Delhi uncomfortable, given the independent foreign policy pursued by the DPT government. So, the pendulum needed to be swung in favor of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. From all appearance, Delhi did a masterly job of ensuring the PDP won.
Three cheers for Bhutanese democracy! On a long-term basis, we are creating a permanent anti-India lobby in Bhutan. This sordid manipulation of the Bhutanese political system underscores why India is such a hated country in its region. Who likes a bully?
In fact, one negative fallout of the Bhutan story is going to be that Colombo will be more than ever determined now to do away with the 13th Amendment. The Sri Lankan nationalists fear that Delhi may at some point manipulate any provincial government with delegated powers in the Tamil-dominated regions of northern and eastern Sri Lanka as the tool to advance its geopolitical interests.
Can we fault them from harbouring atavistic fears about Indian hegemony? Do not forget for a moment that Indira Gandhis blatant interference in Sri Lankan internal affairs was also provoked by the then President J. R. Jayewardenes independent foreign policy.
Again, make no mistake, if (or when) she gets re-lected as Bangladesh prime minister, Khaleda Zia is bound to revert to a policy of calibrated antagonism toward India. As for Pakistan, why do we blame its Afghan policy, which is hell-bent on exorcising the Indian influence in Kabul? William Dalrymples celebrated essay recently, which is featured by the Brookings (and widely reprinted abroad) explains how the Indian and Pakistani security agencies are locked in a death dance in the Hindu Kush.
One would have thought that the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi prompted India to repent. Apparently, it isnt so. Nepal and now Bhutan. Is it the Maldives next?
Why do we need a string of pearls to choke our neck? All China needs to do is to leave us to the shenanigans of our intellectually-bankrupt bureaucrats and their political masters. The perceived Indian hegemony will only drive our South Asian neighbours toward deeper engagement with China.
Hardly 72 hours passed since the National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon visited Colombo for the Sri Lankan cabinet to announce the award of yet another big project to Chinese companies ironically, the first $1.5 billion phase of the Northern Highway.
And the Chinese companies are going to handle on B.O.T. basis for a quarter century this vital project that aims at integrating the Tamil regions with the Sinhalese-dominated south.
Do not manipulate Bhutan’s democracy - Indian Punchline
It is only with sadness that one can read Sandeep Dikshits report in HIndu newspaper, here, as to how ham-handed India has been toward Bhutan, crudely interfering in its internal affairs. Not only is the Indian establishment advertising itself to be intellectually bankrupt but the Indian leadership has flagged that the more things seem to change in our countrys neighbourhood policies, the more they remain the same.
The upshot of what happened can be summed up as follows. In the first round of parliamentary election in Bhutan in May, the results showed that the ruling Druk Phuensum Tshogpa had a strong winning card to get re-elected, something which made Delhi uncomfortable, given the independent foreign policy pursued by the DPT government. So, the pendulum needed to be swung in favor of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. From all appearance, Delhi did a masterly job of ensuring the PDP won.
Three cheers for Bhutanese democracy! On a long-term basis, we are creating a permanent anti-India lobby in Bhutan. This sordid manipulation of the Bhutanese political system underscores why India is such a hated country in its region. Who likes a bully?
In fact, one negative fallout of the Bhutan story is going to be that Colombo will be more than ever determined now to do away with the 13th Amendment. The Sri Lankan nationalists fear that Delhi may at some point manipulate any provincial government with delegated powers in the Tamil-dominated regions of northern and eastern Sri Lanka as the tool to advance its geopolitical interests.
Can we fault them from harbouring atavistic fears about Indian hegemony? Do not forget for a moment that Indira Gandhis blatant interference in Sri Lankan internal affairs was also provoked by the then President J. R. Jayewardenes independent foreign policy.
Again, make no mistake, if (or when) she gets re-lected as Bangladesh prime minister, Khaleda Zia is bound to revert to a policy of calibrated antagonism toward India. As for Pakistan, why do we blame its Afghan policy, which is hell-bent on exorcising the Indian influence in Kabul? William Dalrymples celebrated essay recently, which is featured by the Brookings (and widely reprinted abroad) explains how the Indian and Pakistani security agencies are locked in a death dance in the Hindu Kush.
One would have thought that the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi prompted India to repent. Apparently, it isnt so. Nepal and now Bhutan. Is it the Maldives next?
Why do we need a string of pearls to choke our neck? All China needs to do is to leave us to the shenanigans of our intellectually-bankrupt bureaucrats and their political masters. The perceived Indian hegemony will only drive our South Asian neighbours toward deeper engagement with China.
Hardly 72 hours passed since the National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon visited Colombo for the Sri Lankan cabinet to announce the award of yet another big project to Chinese companies ironically, the first $1.5 billion phase of the Northern Highway.
And the Chinese companies are going to handle on B.O.T. basis for a quarter century this vital project that aims at integrating the Tamil regions with the Sinhalese-dominated south.
Do not manipulate Bhutan’s democracy - Indian Punchline
