Was Sonia Gandhi behind the economic blockade imposed by India against Nepal 1989 ? According to Jonathan Gregson in his book Massacre at the Palace: The Doomed Royal Dynasty of Nepal, there was an issue between Sonia Gandhi and Queen Aishwarya during the SAARC meet over who should take precedence. This incident strengthened Rajiv Gandhi’s determination to teach and an economic blockade was imposed over Nepal using the pretext that the trade treaty between the two countries had expired.
Later when a widowed Sonia Gandhi visited Kathmandu, the Queen made sure that she was denied permission to enter Pashupathinath temple on the basis that she was born a Catholic. The Queen thus gained happiness of standing up against India, whom she hated because she thought India was behind the Spring Awakening of 1990 that led to democracy.
Devyani Rana was one of the women shortlisted for marrying Prince Dipendra and she was related to the Scindias of India. Devyani’s mother cosidered the Nepali Royal family below them. This combined with the Queen’s hatred for India, made the Queen oppose Dipendra’s marriage to Devyani. Later it was over this woman that Dipendra massacred the Royal family and killed himself.
Queen Aishwarya and Sonia Gandhi
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