INDIA-NEPAL RELATIONS Plan, I.E., '[970, This Figure Is -Likely to Rise
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20 SWARAJYA May 16, 19fO , BOOK REVIEWS: variety of.developmentprojects in the kingdom. ~iBy the end of Nepal's third INDIA-NEPAL RELATIONS plan, i.e., '[970, this figure is -likely to rIse. to 95", prores 0 f rupees." INDIA AND NEPAL After the rape of Tibet by China in The book contairls very interestini SHRIMAN NARAYAN 1956, the Republic of China has be d escnp. t'lOns, 'I 0 f the campalgn. 0 f"go- t o- come the northern neighbour of Nepal Popular Prakashan, Bombay r village" inaugurated by His Majesty on and has a common border of nearly 600 27-9-67 and! of the new Constitution for Price: Rs 28 miles with it. The author says that in Nepal pro\:nulgated by him in 1962. Slu'iman N at'ayan is a reputed the course of informal conversations The camp~ign of "go-to-village" js in Gandhian scholar, educationist, econo with him, many Nepalese friends told tended to halt "the processes of urban him that India was primarily responsible mist and social reformer who is closely concentration, and rural alienation" connected with a number of all-India for making China its northern neigh which threaten to result in "a superficial Gandhian movements, and was also bour. Hemmed in between two power growth of some urban islands surround associated with Mahatma Gandhi him ful and, for the time being, unfriendly ed by the tast sea of poverty and back self in his constructive programme at neighbours, Nepal has naturally to be wardness".! As regards the Constitution, Wardha and Sevagram. He is now very careful in steering its foreign poli the Government is described as a Governor of Gujarat. cies. Even at the time of accepting "pa~~less II de~ocratic .Panchayat Sys In 1964, he was appointed as India's the author's credentials as ambassador tern. It prOVIdes for drrect democracy ambassador at Khatmandu. In that King Mahendra said, "We in Nepal on the basis of adult suffrage and vote capacity Shriman Narayan, by his sin firmly believe in the policy of peaceful by secret Iilallot at the village level. It cere work for the welfare of both India co-existence and non-alignment." "With provides f6r indirect election to higher and Nepal, extorted the high l'egard and the emergence of China as a potential bodies at the district, zonal and national appreciation of both the governments of nuclear Power, Nepal is now regarded levels. The Rashtriya Pancllayat is India and Nepal. The Prime Minister as an area of crucial importance from Nepal's Jarliament. It is unicameral. of India wrote to him: "As a result of the standpoint of logistics." Any direct There is fudeed a Rajsabha consisting " your sustained efforts there was a fur~ or indirect friction between Nepal and of' high offiCials, ex -officio, and persons ther strengthening of the bonds of China will immediately cast an addi nominated !by the King. But it has no friendship between India and Nepal." tional burden on India, too. functions as, a second chamber. It is King Mahendra of Nepal also told Peaceful co-existence and non- only an advisory body giving advice Shriman Narayan, "So long as you were alignment are therefore not mere attrac when required by the King. One im here I was free from worries in respect tive political principles for' Nepal but portant fdture of the Nepalese Consti- of Indo-Nepalese relations". a practical formula for survival. At the tution is that" is declares that no poli- " Nepal is India's northern n!;lighbour: same time the policy is not inconsistent tical party or any other organization, It is knit to India in close bonds of with a treaty of "everlasting peace and union, or dssociation motivated by party friendship by geography, history, eco friendship" between the two countries. policies sllall be formed or caused to nomy, culture and religion. The author has pointed out that India be fOlmedi or run. The Constitution has helped Nepal in various ways with also ptohilJHts conversion from one reli In the Nepal Constitution of 1962, out any political strings or conditions. gion to at!\other. It guarantees funda Nepal is described as "an independent, It has constructed the Tribhuvan Rajpath mental rights and also emphasizes cer indivisible, and sovereign, monarchical and other roads. It has helped in the tain fundalmental duties such as devo Hindu State". Its national language is establishment of airports, in the deve tion to thb nation and loyalty to the Nepalese in the Devanagari script; lopment of power resources and exten State and I! the duty to exercise one's Nepalese has a large majority of Sams sion of irrigation. The author points rights witl:lOut injuring the rights of krit words. The King of Nepal is out that "by the end of 1967 India had others. ' defined inter alia as "an adherent ot spent over Rs 50 crores in Nepalese The book is a very good guide book Aryan culture and Hindu religion". He currency for the implementation of a to Nepal. -R. V. KruSHNA AYYAR reigns on behalf ,of Lord Pasupathi I nath. The Pasupathinath temple with PRACTICABILITY OF NON-VIOLENCE its four priests from the South is a - , glorious symbol of ancient cultural and THE GANDHIAN ALTERNATIVE TO for a re-distribution of wealth, since he religious ties between India and Nepal. WESTERN SOCIALISM was convincedr that nothing secured by The Swayambunath temple is an ancient V. K. R. V. RAo vioj~nt m~ans could last long. He also Buddhist temple. Both temples equally Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay-7 held finnlY that "it is possible through attract thousands of Hindu and Buddhist Price: Rs 4 nbn-violen'be, to transform the existing pilgrims. Lumbini, the birthplace of This booklet gives us the text of the relationship between the classes and the the Buddha, is situated in Nepal. Places lecture delivered by Dr V. K. R. V. Rao masses into, something healthier and bearing names like Janakpur, Biratnagar, in the City of Oxford in the Gandhi purer". Gonceding that his solution, Yagnyavalkyaashram, etc., breathe the Centenary Year. The author presents viz., "the~ application of unadulterated fragrance of the stories of the Ramayana the economic gospel that Gandhiji offer non-violence to all aspects of life» and the Mahabaratha. The State fol ed to a world in trouble. might fail2 Gandhiji nevertheless empha lows not the Gregorian calendar but the From the days of Hind Swaraj sized that' if it did, it would be Vikrama era. For instance, the treaty Gandhi had called on us to turn our "because of my ignorance of the of "trade and transit" between India back on the big machines, and, instead, technique of non-violence". and Nepal dated 11-9-1960 has the go in for cottage imd village industries Dr Raol shares the general regret that in 'order to secure dignity as well as 27th day of Badra, 2017 Vikra Samvath Gandhiji 1-,·IRid not live to perfect the as the date of its execution. The killing gainful employment for the masses. technique,: of non-violence, but others of a cow is an offence in Nepal, punish Gandhiji never forgot the ethical and like Achaiya Vinoba Bhave and Dr able with imprisonment for 14 years. human factors. He urged the accep Martin L1)rther King achieved limited The ties between India and Nepal are tance of the doctrine of trusteeship, in yet notable success in harnessing Gan thus more than friendly; they are bonds respect of property and totally dis dhian prirtciples to the task of social and of strong brotherly affection. approved of employing violent methods econoniic\ Ilemancipation.. -A.G. il .