ABHEEK BARMAN of TIMES OF INDIA suggests "the only policy that makes sense for India is this: Export governance and institutions to Nepal. Run it as a protectorate" READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE. "Since February 2, when Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked his government, suppressed civil and political freedoms, and choked media, India's mandarins have been flapping like agitated hens. They ask whether India should support the king; if not, whether Maoists will seize power; whether China or Pakistan will use instabi-lity in Nepal to muscle in, and so on. Last week, India agreed to lift an arms embargo to Kathmandu. Gleeful at the prospect of more guns, the king threw the leaders of all parties in jail. Gyanendra seems to believe that he can beat back Maoists by military force. Few share his conviction. In Kashmir, 500,000 Indian soldiers and paramilitary have grappled with militants for 16 years. Even today, there are an estimated 2,000 insurgents at work there. The king has about 150,000 troops trying to control about 2,000 active Maoist fighters and probably 10 times that many sleepers who carry out stealth attacks. Gyanendra, who came to power after a bloody palace coup that wiped out bro-ther Birendra and nine members of his family four years ago, lacks any democratic instincts whatso-ever. Soon after taking over, he sacked an elected government and installed a government of cronies and yes-men. The government he sacked in February was his own hand puppet. Here's his economics, or what passes for that: Export more Nepalese workers to boost remittances, export hydro-electricity to India and boost tourism. Since February, tourist arrivals are rec-koned to have fallen about 50%; foreign aid, which funds approximately 70% of development spending has crashed as donors shrink from his regime; garment exports are down about 40% and Kath- mandu's official projections say that the economy might grow a measly 3% this year, compared to 7% for neighbouring Bhutan. Nepal is in the clutches of a bumbling and dangerous despot. It is futile to expect Gyanendra to restore democracy, the rule of law and institutions. Though Maoist boss Prachanda says he's with the political parties to overthrow the king, this could be a feint. Why should Maoist militias become the vanguard of democracy? One costly - and uncertain - option is to cut off the king, wait for Nepal to implode and institutions to emerge from the rubble. Actually, the only policy that makes sense for India is this: Export governance and institutions to Nepal. Run it as a protectorate. It is pointless to agonise over Kathmandu's sovereign rights. When states fail, as Nepal has done, sovereignty is a dangerous idea that empowers despots and their cronies. Today, Gyanendra's sovereignty has trapped the people of Nepal, 42% of whom are officially poor, in a cycle of violence and misery. Freedom has to be earned: Gyanendra, Nepal's venal parties and the Maoists just got the pink slip. " Clickhere for Source