Staff Reporter :
Five distinguished South Asian figures from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka issued a joint statement calling on India to halt its political interference in their respective countries.
The statement comes amid notable political developments in Bangladesh on Saturday, highlighting growing concerns over external influences in domestic affairs.
The signatories of the statement include Firdous Azim, an English professor and member of the feminist organisation Naripokkho in Bangladesh; Kanak Mani Dixit, a writer and founding editor of Himal Southasian in Kathmandu; Lakshman Gunasekara, a journalist and social activist in Colombo; Manzoor Hasan from the Centre for Peace and Justice at BRAC University in Dhaka; and Sushil Pyakurel, former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission in Kathmandu.
The statement criticises India’s historical and ongoing interventions in the domestic politics of these nations, arguing that such actions have led to political instability and the empowerment of autocratic regimes.
The signatories contend that India’s interference undermines democratic processes and impedes socio-economic progress in neighbouring countries.
They call on India to adhere to the Panchsheel principle of peaceful coexistence, which India once championed, and to genuinely implement its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
While acknowledging India’s crucial role in Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971 and expressing gratitude for the support received, the statement alleges that India has since sought to manipulate Bangladesh’s politics for its own benefit.
This includes issues such as the diversion of river waters as an upper riparian state, securing access to the Indian Northeast through Bangladeshi territory, and using Bangladesh as a market for Indian goods.
The statement further alleges that India has supported the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina in exchange for political and economic concessions.
In Sri Lanka, the statement highlights India’s intervention through the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the late 1980s, purportedly to safeguard India’s national interests amid the Tamil insurgency.
It claims that Sri Lanka continues to grapple with Indian political influence and notes recent attempts by Indian business conglomerates to penetrate the island nation The statement also addresses Nepal’s situation, pointing to India’s involvement through intelligence agencies and Hindutva activists.
It accuses New Delhi of attempting to control Nepal’s water resources and recalls the 2015 blockade imposed by India in response to Nepal’s adoption of a new constitution, which exacerbated the country’s struggles following a devastating earthquake.
The signatories argue that Indian policymakers fail to recognise the resentment their interference generates among neighbouring populations.
They criticise New Delhi’s academic and media circles for not independently scrutinising government policies, often aligning with the external affairs and home ministries’ directives.
The statement urges India to undertake a comprehensive review of its South Asia policy, advocating for a more empathetic approach that considers the perspectives of its border regions, peoples, and economies.
The signatories suggest that New Delhi’s interventions are often driven by a misplaced sense of vulnerability due to geographical considerations, such as Sri Lanka’s strategic position, Nepal’s location along the Himalayas, and Bangladesh’s proximity to the Indian mainland and Northeast.
Additionally, the statement addresses India’s concerns about Chinese involvement in South Asia, asserting that each country has the sovereign right to engage with Beijing independently. It underscores the paradox of India being China’s largest trading partner while seeking to limit its neighbours’ ties with China.
The signatories emphasise that Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka should remain free from the influence of any major power, including both China and India.