18/05/06 - 24/05/06 Episode Sikkim -2 BY PR PRADHAN Viewing the fast developing political scenario in Nepal, one can recall the regional history 33 years ago. It is all but an open secret that India is always trying to fulfill her interests in Nepal. She attempted to bring Nepal into her security umbrella in the 1990s. When the then King Birendra refused India's proposal, the people's movement took momentum and India then moved to abolish Monarchy. The Indians were saying "ek dhakka aour mar" or give it one more push (and it will fall down). That time Indian strategy failed due to the visionary leadership of the then King. Later, when the King became very popular, there was the Royal massacre on 1 June 2001, killing the King and his whole family. In Sikkim also, similar accident had occurred in which Prince of Sikkim was killed in a planned road accident. Indian army was mobilized dramatically into Sikkim, until then a sovereign mountain kingdom. Like here today, division was created between Chogyal and political forces and finally a referendum was announced in which Sikkim's Chogyal dynasty was abolished and Sikkim was peacefully annexed by India. India has initiated the same 'design' against Nepal today. REMOTE CONTROL DEMOCRACY Isn't it interesting! Sitaram Yachuri pushes a button in New Delhi and SPA whizzes and gears into action, then SPA pushes a button and the parliament is set to motion and finally the cabinet takes "political" decision. The one after the other political decision has curtailed the King's remaining power and demoralized the Royal Nepal Army. To recall, after the multiparty democracy in 1990, all institutions except Monarchy and RNA, were spoiled. Bureaucracy became defunct; police force became recruit centre of the political parties in power. RNAC, considered the landlocked country's link to the outside world, was making profit until the multiparty democracy, virtually collapsed. These are just some minor things to note, but the impact of such destructions is very worrisome for the existence of a nation. India has understood the importance of the two remaining institutions that remained intact after 1990 - Monarchy and RNA. Now it is targeting these two knowing that if these two institutions can be brought down, the whole country would kneel before it. PROLETARIAN DEMOCRACY & INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY Until yesterday, the international community was censuring the King for taking up the Executive Power. The King, on his part, had tried to protect the country's sovereignty, people's freedom and multiparty democracy. The international community would perhaps be surprised to know that RNA had not been allowed to open fire even during the curfew. It is because the King didn't wish to kill the people. Police was allowed only to use teargas and rubber bullet. The King, respecting the people, not only handed over the executive power to the SPA, but also restored the erstwhile dissolved parliament. In fact, the parliament is existed on an ad-hoc basis as the people's mandate to the elected parliamentarians has already been expired and has been revived through the King's proclamation. Therefore, this parliament has no right to take any "revolutionary" decision. But, it is acting as if it has just come from the election with fresh mandate from the people, and it is posing itself as super parliament. How has the international community taken the recent abnormalities appearing in the name of democracy? Are they satisfied with this "proletarian" style democracy and the SPA ruling by decree? Why are they keeping mum?