By Our Reporter
The report of Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) on Nepal-India Relations, prepared by the experts from the two nations five months ago, has not been accepted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing his busy schedule.
However, sources said that Prime Minsiter Modi was hesitating to accept the report at the suggestion of the Indian security agencies and Intelligence Agency, namely RAW, making the fate of the report uncertain.
The EPG reports encompasses a wide-range of subjects and recommends revision or replacement of the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty and regulate Nepal-India border, among others.
It has also suggested issuing smart cards for the people crossing either side of the border and jointly working to combat terrorism and controlling smuggling of fake-currency, human trafficking and other illegal activities.
However, the security officers and RAW agents have objected to the provisions of revision or replacement of the 1950 treaty and regulation of the open border.
The report holds a great prospect to realistically boost bilateral relations by going beyond all rhetoric and platitude employed to describe Nepal-India relations since decades, writes Ritu Raj Subedi in his write-up in The Rising Nepal.
“If implemented sincerely, the report creates a level playing field in Nepal-India diplomacy, enabling both to respect each other’s sovereignty and right to self-determination. With this, India may shed superiority complex while Nepal would get a big morale booster to overcome its inferiority complex.”
However, the report is likely to remain in hold, at least till the 2019 elections in India, because Modi does not want to displease the voters of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar by accepting the report, which looks somewhat in favour of Nepal.
The EPG was formed during the first premiership of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in 2016 and it completed the assigned job during his second tenure that is underway.
As both Oli and Modi share political chemistry, top government officials are optimistic about the implementation of the EPG report in letter and spirit, argues Subedi in the same write-up.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali and PM’s Advisor to Foreign Affairs Dr Rajan Bhattarai had also expressed their hope that PM Modi would not only accept the EPG report but also implement it.
The Indian bureaucracy has also exerted pressure on Modi not to receive it without removing some words. But Nepal’s foreign ministry has refuted the Indian request, citing that the EPG had already been dissolved.
The Indian side, as said above, is hesitant to regulate the open, border. One EPG member and former Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad had reportedly registered his note of dissent over its recommendation to manage border and revise the 1950 Treaty that is widely dubbed as unequal and obsolete.
If the EPG report is not accepted by Modi, the improved relations between Nepal and India are likely to deteriorate again.
Nepal-India relations reached the lowest following the blockade imposed by India in 2015. But they have improved in recent months.
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