Indo-Nepal Relations: A Personal Reflection
The contrasting attitude among the states and nations around the world is quite obvious. But the history itself shows that the most important aspect of the war and dirty politics has been caused by the important factor called religion. But striking fact which strikes me is that how the two nations which can generally be called as having the same religious and secular outlook come with such a rebellious attitude with each other. In 1950’s with the introduction of ‘Indo- Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship’, both the countries come together to initiate their relationship with each other including the security affairs. This treaty is said to be the continuation of the ‘Sugauli Treaty’ which was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816, between the India (under the British domination) and then existing Kingdom of Nepal. The Treaty which was signed in 1950 carries with it some of the crucial issues like allocation of the citizenship to the Indian Nepalese including the security and other external affairs. Though in its detailed analysis the Contract deals with many important issues to enhance the relationship among the two nations but I am trying to give here a very short analysis of the issue of Citizenship for the Indian Nepalese.
In that contract one of the important fact which came out is the as I mentioned in earlier paragraph as the issue of the Citizenship where both the nations agreed on the fact that, "neither government shall tolerate any threat to the security of the other by a foreign aggressor" and obligated both sides "to inform each other of any serious friction or misunderstanding with any neighboring state likely to cause any breach in the friendly relations subsisting between the two governments. "This will be in return give "special relationship" as well as the promotion of the preferential treatment to Nepal. This is also followed by the point of allocation of the equal economic and educational rights to the Nepalese as the Indian citizens, who are residing in India for a long period of time. This togetherness for Peace and Friendship also focuses on the issues like, the problems pertaining to citizenship, Economic developments and cultural relations between two countries-
The importance of the contract in this very matter of fact is crucial from the point of view of identity and inhabitance of the Indian Nepalese. Indian Nepalese have their long history of inhabitants as Indian citizens starting from the education to the economic development of the country we can not ignore the contribution of these peoples especially at the time of independence, the bravery and the sense of Nationalism which they showed can never be denied. Hence in such a situation to regard them as non Indians and to discriminate is in no way acceptable. Moreover in some cultural aspects, Nepalese and traditional north Indians having similarity. With viewing the fact of the matter it is necessary and justified in my view to give the citizenship to the Nepalese in India.
India and Nepal both the countries are rich in their historical and cultural perspectives. But there are certain factors which sometimes cause severe problems and tension for the country from time to time and for which both the nations are facing difficulties starting from Geographical and Economic problems to the minor problems like common ethnic, linguistic and cultural problems. The problem as such is not a new one. India and Nepal are having the cold war amongst themselves. Though the problem has not been with such a larger gratitude; its outcomes are in no way going to serve any fruitful purpose. It will create communal tension and unnecessary burden to the peoples of both the nations.
Though the Contract among the two nations have focused on some of the crucial issues but still I found the citizenship issue most important for discussing here. Though most of the times the issues revealed and signed in the treaty are not seen to be successful but this type if issues enhance the friendly relation among the Nations, not only with the India but with the all the Nations at a large.