Friday, March 1, 2013

INDIA ASSERTS ITSELF IN MALDIVES AFTER A LONG SPAN



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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