Muslims in Nepal ask for a Hindu nation, say no to secularism

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13 Aug 2015, 12:00 am

In a campaign to "reconvert" the country as a Hindu state, Muslims leaders in Nepal are lashing back at the constituent assembly for attempting to declare the country "secular" in its draft constitution. The Muslim leaders feel that Nepal remaining as a "Hindu nation" helps them feel more secure and allows the citizens to live with religious tolerance.

On July 6, the Sanatan Hindu Rastra Maha Abhiyaan, led by Nepali Congress leader Khum Bahadur Khadka, submitted a memorandum to Constituent Assembly Chairman Suhas Nembang opposing the inclusion of the term "secular" in the preamble of the draft Constitution.

Muslim leaders of the country are of the opinion that the present secular status had added to the insecurity of the peacefully living Muslim population in the country.

Rastrabadi Muslim Manch Nepalgunj - a pro-monarchy party, which, along with other pro-Hindu organisations, has been supporting the campaign as the country plans to adopt a new Constitution. The party's Chairman, Babu Khan Pathan, told The Himalayan Times, "Turning the country secular is nothing but a design to break the longstanding unity among Muslims and Hindus. So there is no alternative to reinstating the country's old Hindu State identity in order to allow fellow citizens to live with religious tolerance."

Pathan added, "We are Nepali Muslims and proud of it, because we have our unique culture of being the Muslims of this land. 80 percent of the Muslims in Banke are against Nepal being a secular state."

Amjad Ali, chairman of the Rapti Muslim Society, who is involved in the protest programmes demanding a Hindu state in Nepal said, "It is to protect Islam. I have opened my mouth demanding that Nepal be declared a Hindu state in order to protect my own religion." was quoted as saying by DNA.

A few party leaders however feel there has been a growing influence of Christianity in Nepal. CPN-UML CA member Anarkali Miya, who personally experienced missionaries trying to influence people from other faiths to follow Christianity, told DNA "I believe Nepal should not adopt secularism. It will only create more problems in future"

Drafting of the new constitution is proving troublesome for Nepalese legislators as Nepal has a varied demographic. For the last eight years, after a civil war in the country in which 16000 people died, they have been arguing over crucial issues including secularism and federalism. In a population of 28 million, over 81% are Hindus, 9% are Buddhists, 4.3% are Muslims and less than 2% Christians.

Nepal was the only Hindu monarchy in the world until a civil war that broke out between the Maoist rebels, prompting it to abandon the 239-year-old monarchy and embrace democracy and secularism in 2008. But the country's transition to secular democracy couldn't be completed since its politicians have missed several deadlines for it to replace its interim constitution, extending the discussion of the new one to seven years.

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