In a startling revelation made by the former R&AW special Director, Amar Bhushan in his book ‘Inside Nepal’, an inside account has been given on how Indian security establishment launched a covert operation to bring down Hindu monarchs in neighbouring Nepal, paving the way for constitutional democracy, reports DNA.
The book gives an inside story of the nature of covert operations that were launched to ensure that Nepal was not destabilised by hostile forces after Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) during the Rajiv Gandhi government had brought down absolute monarchy system in neighbouring Nepal.
Reportedly, the R&AW operations were not just limited to ensure unity among various political parties with different ideologies but also raising assets in Nepal to carry out operations under utmost secrecy.
Amar Bhushan, with a phoney name ‘Jeevnathan’ for the Chief of Eastern Bureau of R&AW, was tasked to strengthen the fledgeling unit, recruit and run spies to throw out monarchy system run by King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.
The then Rajiv Gandhi’s government had decided to support the people’s movement in Nepal by attempting to pull down the Hindu monarchs. The Nepal Kingdom, which had shared an affinity towards India for centuries due to its cultural and religious linkages was meant to be replaced by a ‘people’s movement’ supported by India’s external spy agency- R&AW.
After several rounds of diplomatic manoeuvres to pressurise King Birendra of Nepal failed, the Rajiv Gandhi government hastily resorted to putting blockade of food supplies to force the King to institutionalise the democracy.
As pressure began to mount on King Birendra, he tried to offset already strong India’s influence by seeking help from China. Rajiv Gandhi government not only antagonised the Hindu kingdom of Nepal but also gave an opportunity to Chinese communists to meddle in Nepal, which resulted in a new strategic and geopolitical headache for India’s security establishment.
Amar Bhushan’s book echoes the same as the Chinese presence in Nepal was a double whammy for India as it never wished Chinese footprints in the neighbourhood. Finally, the task to ensure democracy was entrusted to R&AW Chief AK Verma, who went on to appoint his best spy- Jeevnathan to carry out Nepal’s operation.
Bushan alias Jeevnathan immediately took the charge of Nepal, assured the R&AW chief that he will finish the job left incomplete by the diplomats. The book further reveals that R&AW spent considerable time in luring Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal also known as Prachanda to join hands with other political parties to put up a united fight against the monarchy. Prachanda later went on to become Prime Minister of Nepal twice in 2008 and 2016. Prachanda, a communist is known for his close relations with China, has often played his China card to keep India in check.
The book states that it took months and several rounds of meetings in dangerous hideouts of Maoist leader to finally win him over. Initially, Prachanda had his own doubts about R&AW intentions and during a meeting, he had even raised a question to Jeevnathan regarding India’s concerns for peoples democracy in Nepal, the book states.
