Saarc without India

At the initiative of Bangladesh the leaders of India, Pakistan, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh reached a consensus and formed the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) for peace and cooperation, socio-economic development and welfare of the teeming millions of South Asia.

More than two decades have since lapsed but unfortunately nothing tangible and fruitful has been achieved.

Because of the mammoth size, length, breadth and huge population of India, it suffers from some kind of superiority complex and thinks in terms of hegemony only. It treats its neighbours with a disdainful attitude. It pokes its nose in the internal affairs of other Saarc countries. It also creates one problem after another for them and insists that all problems with Delhi should be resolved bilaterally, without any arbitration or interference by any third country or party.

India's Kashmir problems, with Pakistan, river water, Tin Bigha, Talpatty, trade imbalance and border smuggling with Bangladesh, camouflaged activities against Nepal, and malicious and baseless propaganda against all other South Asian countries have made the aims and objectives of Saarc ineffective and useless.

We admire and appreciate the tremendous services rendered by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) consisting of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It was established in 1967 but China was left out.

So why cannot we recast, refurbish and give a fresh lease of life to Saarc by excluding India from it?

Yes, we need a new Saarc without India, we repeat Saarc minus India for smooth functioning of the regional grouping and to ensure socio-economic development, peace, friendship and welfare for the peoples of Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.