India’s relations with neighbouring countries of Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka were turning sour since a few years due to our faulty foreign policies. Most of the aforementioned countries are poised to come under the influence of China forcing them to come to friendly terms with the former.With the diminishing influence of India in these nations, China has jumped to the fore to establish bilateral strong and durable bilateral relations with each of them.
With the ouster of Muhammed Nasheed alias ‘Anni’ from the post of
President of Maldives by forces loyal to former autocrat, Abdul Maimoon Gayoom
with the connivance of military, the latter is supposed to be pulling the
strings from behind with puppet govt of Dr.Muhammed Waheed who was installed in
the place of Mr.Nasheed, the first democratically elected President of Maldives
under the banner of Maldivian Democratic Party with India remaining a mute
spectator by not listening to the pleas of Muhammed Waheed to extend him help.
India’s cordial relationship with the new govt gradually began to lose steam.
With the ascendance of Dr.Muhammed Waheed govt in Maldives, its once warm
relations with India started losing momentum which almost ecame to a close at
least temporarily with the midway closure of India based GMR’s operations in
Maldives which had entered into a 500 mn contract with the latter citing
technical reasons. In the meanwhile it had begun to establish warm and cordial
relations with China which was already trying to make inroads into the island
nation.
The puppet govt of Dr.Muhammed Waheed was trying to implicate
Nasheed, the former President and India’s close friend in a case related to the
arrest and imprisonment of a ‘Judge’ of the island nation. The reasons behind
the incarceration of the Judge are not known but the issue was looked
upon with seriousness and ‘concern’ by the new govt. Under the pretext of this
‘alleged action’ of Mr.Nasheed while he was in the Presidential chair, Waheed
govt’s intention was to keep him away from or bar him from contesting the
general elections scheduled to be held in September seeing Nasheed as a
potential threat to the ruling regime. The incumbent govt was determined to
send him into political wilderness and with that intention or motive in mind it
slapped a case against Nasheed.
Sensing the ulterior motive of the Waheed govt Nasheed wanted to
pre-empt such a move. While the Waheed govt was busy making preparations to
arrest him, Nasheed paid a visit to India and impressed upon the govt of India
the piquant situation prevailing in Maldives. As a close front of India Nasheed
was given a warm reception by the foreign Ministry officials under Indian
Foreign Minister, Salman Khurshid and both held wide-range of discussions
and Nasheed was reported to have conveyed his grievances to Mr.Khurshid for not
extending him any help while he was caught in a quagmire.
His visit to India was looked upon with consternation by the
Waheed govt and they had already started ‘tightening the noose’
around Nasheed quickened proceedings to get him arrested at the
earliest.
Nasheed though summoned to appear before the court for the trial
wanted to evade arrest at all costs and keeping that purpose in mind under the
pretext of holding talks with Indian Embassy officials which was an unexpected
movement of Mr.Nasheed, sought refuge in the Indian embassy.
But Waheed govt was helpless though angry it was, as per
International Protocol, it couldn’t forcibly enter the Embassy and arrest
him.
The incumbent govt of Dr.Waheed made known its protest and concern
to the govt of India. Consequently, marathon talks between the two govts were
held and India demanded the Waheed govt to allow Mr.Nasheed to contest
the September elections and also sought assurance to the effect that Nasheed
shouldn’t be arrested. Waheed govt was left with no option but to bow
down to India’s pressure.
With the expiry of the deadline to appear for trial over, Nasheed
who is fondly called by the Maldivians as ‘Anni’ came out of the Embassy in a
jubilant mood and was warmly welcomed by thousands of Maldivians.
It is almost certain that in a free and fair election which is
scheduled to be held in September Nasheed is poised to emerge successful
upsetting the covert movements of Maimoon Abdul Gayoom, the former autocrat who
is alleged behind the whole drama and Dr.Muhammed Waheed, his puppet.
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