A strange scene is repeating itself in Nepali politics. An ordinary party leader from India arrives, and our extraordinary leaders welcome him by opening the doors of their rooms.

Case in point, Bharatiya Janata Party's foreign affairs chief Vijay Chathaiwale. He does not hold any official position. He is neither a representative of the Government of India, nor an accredited diplomatic envoy. But when he comes to Nepal, he seems eager to meet the ruling and opposition leaders in turn—in a secret room, carrying tea and snacks, taking pictures.

It can be said that it is just a formality. But the question arises - if a departmental leader of any party in India can come to Kathmandu so easily and meet Nepal's Prime Minister, former Prime Minister, ministers and opposition leaders, will Nepali leaders also get such easy access in Delhi? Does the head of the foreign department of the Nepali Congress get such a warm welcome from the powerful leaders of India?

This is not only a unilateral surrender, it is a mockery of Nepal's political independence. Looking at the meeting style of our leaders, it seems that the four have come to set the policy, and they have come to follow the policy. This scene gives the feeling that the soul of Nepali democracy is broken. The message has been spread among the people that nothing happens without the approval of Delhi in the power, structure and governance of Nepal. Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba goes to Delhi and comes back and says, "Indian government does not want change." Sher Bahadur Deuba says, "India does not want to bring back the monarchy." Baburam Bhattarai goes to Delhi and comes back and says, "India is not in favor of system change." These sentences are not only informational, but a political narrative that mentally adapts the people to Delhi's decision.

People are being given such a 'slow poison' where they stop caring about their own country's policies, constitution or right to change and start accepting the direction India wants. As leaders repeat Delhi's speech, the message is clear that India is the decision-maker in Nepal, we are mere workers. Is this the democracy brought by the people's movement? Is this the foreign policy, where the entire center of power and opposition hangs around an ordinary neighborhood leader?

Surely now the self-esteem of the leaders must be examined. There should be severe criticism towards the tendency to cheat. Let the key of power remain in Kathmandu, not India's message. It is the need of the moment to raise the demand that the constitution of Nepal runs the country.

Because if this trend is not stopped, we will lose freedom in the name of republic and tomorrow's generation will write today's leaders as the dealers of republic.

– Santosh Simkhada , Tokyo, Japan