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A very big diplomatic news of this time is coming out from the corridors of Nepalese politics and India-Nepal bilateral relations. The attitude of Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, who has been continuously making aggressive and sharp statements against India, now seems to be weakening. After a long campaign and making controversial comments about India on social media and public forums, Balen Shah has finally come on line. After being surrounded from all sides over his very sensitive and controversial statement regarding Britain’s mediation, the Mayor of Kathmandu has now presented his formal clarification on this entire matter, which has intensified political turmoil from Nepal to Delhi.
Mayor surrounded by uproar over Britain’s controversial statement
The whole controversy started when Balen Shah had advocated the mediation of a third party i.e. Britain to resolve some bilateral issues between India and Nepal. As soon as this statement came out, sharp reactions started against him not only in India but also within Nepal itself. Nepal’s diplomatic experts, former diplomats and various political parties described Balen Shah’s stance as extremely immature and against Nepal’s sovereignty. Experts say that despite the age-old ‘Roti-Beti’ relations between the two countries and the arrangement for direct communication, dragging a third country into the middle was a very serious diplomatic mistake, which forced the mayor to come on the backfoot.
Balen Shah gave diplomatic clarification after all-round pressure
After continuous criticism in the local political circles and national media of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, Mayor Balen Shah has tried to change his statement. In his new clarification, he has said that his statement was misinterpreted and he fully respects Nepal’s historical and cultural relations with India. According to indications issued by the Mayor’s Secretariat, his intention was not to increase any kind of tension between the two countries, but he was only talking in the context of some local and development related issues. However, political analysts believe that Balen Shah has given this clarification only to avoid all-round diplomatic and political pressure.
What will be the impact of this political drama on India-Nepal relations?
There is already sensitivity between New Delhi and Kathmandu regarding the border dispute, Sugauli Treaty and other bilateral agreements. In such a situation, a leader like Balen Shah, who is popular and active on social media, making such statements and then turning back, shows the ups and downs of Nepal’s internal politics. India has always been in favor of resolving its bilateral issues with Nepal through mutual dialogue without the interference of any third country. According to experts, this U-turn of Balen Shah has made it clear that statements made without thinking against a strong neighboring country like India can prove costly for the leaders of Nepal itself.
