Religious agitation likely
Kathmandu, 30 May: The religious agitation started at Birgunj against the recent parliamentary announcement that declared Nepal as a secular state is likely to enter the capital city, writes Charcha weekly.

The decision to make Nepal a secular state was not the main agenda of the Maoists. They were just planning to hand over the following issue over the people to discuss before making any decisions, but the government made an unfair and hasty decision through parliament which is proving the foreign pressures taking over the government.

The following declaration has done the work of triggering the issue of religious disputes in the country, if it is not corrected in time than it is likely to engulf the nation with the inferno of religious disorder and holy wars.

People’s News/KDB

Defending Secularism in Nepal



By Uday Bajracharya


While the recent declaration of Nepal as a secular state has been widely welcomed by various political, ethnic and religious communities, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its sister organisations, the ‘Sangh Parivar’ have been reported to be unhappy about it. Hindu activists, mainly under the leadership of Bharat Keshar Simha’s World Hindu Federation (WHF) have protested against the move in Birgunj and certain other parts of Nepal. The Indian chapter of WHF has staged similar protests in some parts of India. MPs in Nepal have been demanding action against the Hindu fundamentalists and the Home Minister has promised strong action against anti-secular activities. The Prime Minister has taken up the matter with the King, alleging involvement of royalists in orchestrating anarchy in various parts of the country. A four member political delegation from Nepal has met the BJP leadership in Delhi.

In order to ensure peaceful transition to secularism and to defend it from regressive forces uniting under the banner of Hinduism, it is important to understand more about Hindu fundamentalist forces in Nepal and their relationship with such forces in India.

WHF has close ties with BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) of India. For instance, WHF has Ashok Singhal of VHP as one of its patrons and a BJP MP Yogi Adityanath leads the Indian chapter of WHF. Although WHF was formed 25 years ago and has its chapters in several countries, its main strength comes from its association with the Sangh Parivar of India, which has the largest non-communist organisation in the world.

There has been a phenomenal rise of Hindu nationalism in India during the past few decades. Many Hindus in India have strong reasons to be angry about their own secularism. A quick look at the history of India shows that the Muslim invasion of India had led to widespread destruction of temples and forcible conversion of people to Islam. Those who didn’t agree to conversion had to flee their land or be punished harshly.

Then came the British rule and the partition of 1947. A predominantly Muslim state of Pakistan (including what is now Bangladesh) was created on the insistence of the Muslims despite opposition from Gandhi and his secular Indian National Congress. The process involved large-scale violence resulting in the deaths of up to a million people, according to some estimates. It also involved the largest migration of population in human history. Millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Sindhis fled to India from what is now Pakistan, so did millions of Muslims the other way. Similarly millions of Hindus fled their homes in East Bengal (later East Pakistan, now Bangladesh) to West Bengal and a far lesser number of Muslims fled the other way. People went through suffering on an unprecedented scale in the form of loss of life and property, missing relatives, massive displacement and so on. The victims of partition include India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leader of the opposition L.K.Advani of BJP (both born in what is now Pakistan) and Pakistan’s President Musarraf (born in Delhi).

When the dust of partition finally settled down, Hindus in India realised that while most Hindus and Sikhs had left Pakistan, a large number of Muslims had remained in India (India currently has almost as many Muslims as the whole population of Pakistan!). A democratic and secular India protected this “minority” Muslim population in various ways, while Pakistan became an Islamic republic (later Bangladesh too). Quite understandably, Hindus in India felt cheated. As a result, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist for “appeasing” the Muslims. India and Pakistan have fought several wars and countless Hindu-Muslim riots have occurred in India since 1947.

This resulted in the rise of Hindu nationalism in India. The Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist outfit, which had been operating clandestinely, founded a political wing called Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS). Jana Sangh used to be active mostly in Delhi where most Hindus and Sikhs had migrated from Pakistan and they used to hold just a handful of seats in the parliament for many years.

However in the following decades, the transformation of RSS and Jana Sangh was phenomenal. BJP, its name changed from BJS in 1980, not only started ruling in some states, but also succeeded in coming to power in the central government in 1996 until the present Congress government replaced them in 2004. Similarly, RSS expanded its “Sangh Parivar” to various organisations such as VHP, Bajrang Dal (Youth wing of VHP), Durga Vahini (Female arm of Bajrang Dal), etc.

VHP was formed as the religious wing of RSS, specifically for handling the Ayodhya issue (Ram Janambhumi/Babri Masjid) and to spread “Hindutva” in the world. Proclamation of a Hindu Rastra, denying Kashmir special status, denying Muslims any special rights and forcing them to accept Hinduism (or sending them where they belong, i.e. Pakistan) are among the objectives of VHP. RSS/VHP were responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992 and are suspected of the Gujarat riots of 2002. RSS has been banned several times in India.

VHP is spread all over the world. They have a special interest in Nepal because it was the only Hindu Kingdom in the world. They look at the King of Nepal as the Hindu Samrat (Emperor). One may understand their interest in maintaining Nepal a Hindu state, but one can’t understand why they should support a monarchy in Nepal, the decision of which should be left to the people of Nepal.

BJP/VHP has to remember that they are against secularism in India because of the wrongs done by Muslim invaders, the unfair deal that they got during the partition of 1947 and the “appeasement” of Muslims by secular India. They are basically rising up against past injustices done to them. However, if they oppose secularism in Nepal, they would be supporting the injustice done to the people of Nepal. It was King Prithvi Narayan Shah and his successors who forcibly converted the people that they conquered into Hinduism. These people had been following various forms of Buddhism, Animism and other local religions. Much later, when there was no more land to be conquered, the modern kings started practicing state nationalism by using one religion (Hinduism) and one language (Nepali) to rule over the people of Nepal, thus suppressing its immense ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversity.

BJP/VHP are justifiably angry at forced conversion of Hindus by Muslims in the past, but in Nepal, it had been a case of forced conversion by the Hindus. Moreover, BJP/VHP believes in Hindutva, according to which Buddhists along with Sikhs and Jains are to be treated as Hindus. In the case of Nepal, it is mainly the Buddhists that have been asking for secularism. Buddhism and Hinduism have co-existed extremely well in Nepal for centuries. Secularism only means freedom from dominance of one religion by another.

On the other hand, the secularists in Nepal have to understand that many Hindus in India are angry with Muslims, and justifiably so. The mainly Buddhist secularists in Nepal must remember that Buddhism is close to Hinduism, not Islam. Buddha is considered one of Vishnu’s incarnations. Even the Hindu fundamentalists consider Buddhism as part of Hindutva. Buddhists mustn’t join hands with Muslims against the Hindus even if they feel wronged by the Hindus. If they did, it will be like Subhas Chandra Bose joining hands with Hitler’s Germany against the British. It was however Gandhi, not Bose, who supported the British and got independence for India after the war.

In conclusion, the people of Nepal have to understand that the path to secularism is not going to be easy. Certain sections of the community that had been benefiting from Nepal being a Hindu state may well resist the change. The secularists mustn’t see the recent event as a ‘victory’ over Hinduism because secularism is not anti-Hinduism. They must avoid celebrating it because this may annoy the Hindus, which may push them into the camp of the fundamentalists and the regressive forces that may try to fish in the troubled waters. Should this happen, the gains of the recent people’s movement may once again be lost.



Posted on: 2006-05-29 08:15:43 (Server Time)

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Confusion and chaos
Kathmandu, 30 May: The parliamentary decision that declared Nepal as a secular state has created an environment of confusion and chaos among the government officials as the facility of bonus provided by the government during the festivals such as Dashain and Dipawali will also be cut off with that decision, writes Jana Bhawana weekly.

Each year the government has been providing bonus to the government officials during the major Hindu festivals, but that facility has automatically lost its purpose after the parliamentary announcement.

If the government somehow continues to provide the following facilities then it also has to provide similar facilities on the occasion of Christmas, Id, Buddha Purnima, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Loshar, Mahabir Jayanti etc. as the secular state is possible only if all the religions are equal in the eyes of the state as well as the government.

People’s News/KDB

another People's news...

Posted on 05-30-06 1:53 PM Reply | Notify Admin
Mr Joshi... Kasto HINDU Extremist bhako
RAJA RAJAUTE KO CHAKARI RA PUJA PATH GARDA GARDA AJHA PUGENA. ???

COMON ENOUGH OF PUJA PATH ...AND BEING CALLED TAPARE BAHUN.

MOVE ON...BAHUNS ARE NO MORE PUJARIS..BAHUNS ARE THE FUTURE OF NEPAL
FUTURE LEADERS ...NO MORE CHAMCHAAS OF THE ROYALS AND BAHUN BAJES OF THE LOCALS.

WE LEAD THE COUNTRY TODAY.

IT MIGHT HURT BUT TO BE FRANK HINDUISM HAS GIVEN BAHUNS MOST BORING ANCESTRAL JOBS:-

RECITE PUJA PATH FOR OTHERS,WEAR JANAI(WHICH STI NKS SOMETIMES), SACFRIFICE DELICIOUS MEATS ,EARN YOYR LIVING WITH THE DAAN AND SAGUNS???

ENOUGH ENOUGH

DESPITE OF ALL THE WORK ....BEING CALLED 'LOBI MORO BAUN'

HOW MANY MORE SACRIFICES:
SACRIFICE DELICIOUS MEAT?
SACRIFICE A BOTTLE OF WHISKY?
LOOK LIKE A CLOWN WITH THAT TUPI??

AND MR JOSHI ...YOU STILL WANT TO KEEP YOUR ANCESTRAL JOBS WHICH HINDUISM KEPT JUST FOR YOU.
MUJ LUTNE CHAI RAJA RAJOUTE...PUJA PATH GARAUNA CHAI BAUN NAI CAHINE

Hindu is the identity of Nepal: Togadia
FOC
Expressing concern over the ongoing process of change in Nepal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has said that the identity of Nepal has traditionally been as a Hindu nation in the world and no effort should be made to ruin this identity. In a statement issued in New Delhi, Dr Pravin Togadia, VHP general secretary said Nepal for years has been an independent, self-reliant and a sovereign Hindu nation irrespective of what system of governance it adopted. “Today the conspiracy to ruin its identity through guns and bullets is dangerous for Nepal. “Hindutva is the pranshakti of Nepal and if any effort is made to reject it, the country will be almost finished,” the statement said. The statement expressing the views of crores of Hindus world over appealed to the people of Nepal and their leadership that whatever system of governance they adopt, but the identity of Nepal as a Hindu nation should remain intact.

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=133&page=27

Nepal faces Hindu backlash over declaration as secular state

By Bikash Sangraula, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Tue May 30, 4:00 AM ET

KATHMANDU, NEPAL - The May 18 declaration by Nepal's parliament ending the country's distinction as the world's only Hindu state was one of the several hard decisions taken by the new government to coax Maoist rebels to join in a peaceful political process. But the move has bred new conflict with the country's Hindu majority.
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Hindu groups in Nepal - which have strong backing from powerful Hindu fundamentalist organizations in neighboring India - have termed the declaration of a secular Nepal as "defamatory" and "dangerous," and have said that it could provoke a "religious crusade" in this tiny Himalayan nation.

Following the announcement, Hindu groups organized rallies in at least four districts here, and forced the southern industrial town of Birgunj to close for two days last week. Hindu holy men in saffron gowns have been taking to the streets in the capital, Kathmandu, and other cities demanding the reversal of the declaration. Hindu leaders warn that this is just the beginning of what would be a nationwide campaign in the country, which is 80 percent Hindu.

"How can a 250-member parliament decide on something as serious as this? A referendum would have been the best way to go about it," says Diwakar Chand, general secretary of the World Hindu Federation (WHF), UN-registered umbrella body of Hindu groups around the world.

There may not be a better example of the importance Hindu groups around the world - especially in India - lay on Nepal than the fact that the WHF is customarily headed by an individual recommended by the King of Nepal. The country's kings are believed to be the incarnations of Vishnu - one of the top three gods in the extremely populous Hindu pantheon that theoretically has 330 million gods. Currently, the federation is headed by Bharat Keshari Singh, a top aide of King Gyanendra.

Rajnath Singh, president of India's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told a Nepali delegation in India last week that Nepal ought to remain a Hindu state. "The BJP would not appreciate a situation where Nepal loses its true identity and buckles under Maoist pressure," he told the delegation, according to a report carried by the Indian daily, The Hindu.

The biggest worry for Hindu groups is whether the sanctity of cows will be protected in a secular Nepal. Cow-slaughter is illegal. Hindus worship cows as incarnations of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and the better half of Vishnu. The cow is also the national animal of Nepal.

Hari Bhakta Neupane, president of Sanatan Dharma Sewa Samiti, the oldest Hindu group in Nepal, says that if people begin slaughtering cows in secular Nepal, communal riots are inevitable.

"Imagine a day when people slaughter cows in front of Kathmandu's temples. Hindus will be ready to give up their lives to stop it," he warns. Expressing worries also over the possibility of a conversion drive by people of other faiths, Neupane added that the campaign to have Nepal remain a Hindu state will soon reach each of the country's 75 districts to prevent all these "unpleasant eventualities."

While Hindus have strong reservations, Buddhist groups representing 12 percent of the population in Nepal, as well as Muslim, Kirat, Jain, Christian, and other minority groups, have welcomed the declaration. But those who have been most vocal in welcoming the move are the ethnic minorities.

"Hinduism lies at the root of racial discrimination in Nepal for the last 238 years of dynastic rule," argues Krishna Bhattachan, an anthropologist who leads a movement of ethnic minorities in Nepal. "One state religion has meant the dominance of one culture, one caste, and one language."

According to the Nepalese government's Central Bureau of Statistics, there are over 103 castes and ethnicities, at least 92 different languages, and over 10 different religions in Nepal.

Traditionally, people from the top two castes in the Hindu hierarchy - Brahmins and Chhetriyas - have shared power with the king. Even when Nepal exercised limited democracy for 12 years after 1990, most of the elected prime ministers were Brahmins. The parliament as well as the bureaucracy has an overwhelming majority of Brahmins and Chhetriyas.

While neutral observers say the parliament should not have invited trouble by dividing Nepal over religious, caste, and ethnic lines at such fluid times, leaving this question for the constituent assembly to decide when it drafts a new constitution, political leaders see the move as essential in addressing many of the causes of conflict.

An overwhelming majority of Maoist rebels, who have waged a violent war for the past 10 years, belong to ethnic minorities with almost no representation in the state's decisionmaking bodies.

"The declaration has given the minorities a feeling of ownership of the state," says Raghu Ji Pant, parliamentarian and senior leader of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist, the biggest party in the alliance of seven democratic parties. "The declaration has also ended the Hindu hegemony which legitimized the rule of autocratic Vishnu incarnations in the country," he adds.

While observers warn that the democratic parties might lose their votes to new parties that could come up with Hindu fundamentalist agendas in future elections, Mr. Pant insists that the parties have not antagonized the Hindu population of the country. "Never have the Nepalese people voted on the basis of their religious faiths. For them, political beliefs are supreme when it comes to casting votes."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20060530/ts_csm/ohindu_1

I ask all the people who want Nepal to remain hindu one question. Do you guys eat meat ? Hindu dharma not only tells not to eat beef, it tells not to eat meat at all. It talks about ahinsha.

But if we eat meat telling that it is advatageous to us ( or some other excuse), then why cannot Nepal be secular for the advantage of its people ?

I personally don't eat meat. But that does not mean that I can go around telling other people not to eat meat. It is once freedom whether to eat meat or not. And again it is the same with Nepal being secular also.

boka_r ,who told u that hinduism do not allow people to eat meat???HUHhhh.. yes hinduism believes in Ahinsha So does any other religion.So don't ask that stupid question to people who are in support of Hindu country!!
Listen this whole thing about tagging nepal secular is mere political gain .It has no affect on society So why tag secular?People who advocated secular in parliament truely do not believe in social change .they do not have secular and democratic instution within their party .they are people with no vision and plan .Just because to get rid of king u cannot decide this issue.This has certainly agiated alot of people and u know that .
And let me ask you this question.can retired HOR probably not even 50% will get reelected decide the future of 27million nepali.If they are going for CA then why not people decide this issue.IF u give this excuse that they didn't do it .Ok i admit it so u do not believe in democracy .

Let me ask u one thing... don't you what CA is ? and why are they holding it ? and what is this governement for ? This government is just temporary. Just to hold elections. After CA, whatever people will decide, that will be the final decision. So why are u all worried at all ? Let this government hold elections smoothly including the maoist party. Then at the CA we can decide about the future of our country. But till CA elections, Nepal needs a government which will build favourable environment for the CA elections and bring maoist into the main stream of politics. Making Nepal secular was one of their main demand. I never tell maoists are right. Yes, I know they have killed many of our brothers and sisters. But to stop them from further killing, they need to be brought into main politics. And what is their in just the word Hinduism when hundreds of hindu nepaleese are dying.

EXACTLY BOKA_R.
what is the need of hasty decisions.when we were going for CA.is this puppet govt. more powerful than people.does 27miilion nepali want secular or hindu . who is ram chandra poudel to decide?
Nepal needs govt. to maintain peace and security not to give proclamations .above consitution .change consitution .do it in democratic way.SPA is not above law.People are to decide about that .these SPA leaders lack vision and are retarded everyone knows that.
what is tag?exactly then why remove tag?without evaluating consequences.Dancing like strippers in the hands of maoist.

OH Imi, really, have u seen me other threads too ? wow...great...keep it up.:)

I fully support what they did. Their act is directed toward solving Nepal's maoist crisis.

boka_r ..i will keep it up don't worry:)
if u say they did to resolve maoist crisis.Then they shouldn't have done that .they should have gone for CA.okiee.really problem solution specialists.

Calling nepal a secular is state is something that is completely uncalled for. We know Nepalese are not intellectually developed to take on anohter crisis. But then it was not the right time to take. Nepal already had several issues to face. Now the government had added new issue. Something that may create riot.

If anybody thinks govenment really cares about minority in nepal then they must be mistaken. Calling nepal secular is the issue raised by maoist and govenment has been catering maoist . We also have read several times maoist killing cows and eating thier meat so why do they even care for nepal being hindu or secular. They just want nepal to be as unstable as they can.

Hey, ImI if you knew this all before why didn't you come forward a few year ago?? What your idea now let what the AGITATION instead of thinking to defuse it cause oh yeah, you said it would happen!! What a looser.... Democracy is another word for a right thing to do; when you have a disparity the voting is not democracy if you think that it will go your way. You know what still have faith in my brothers, sisters and friends in and out of Nepal to do the right thing!!!

ed, its people like you that make Nepal unstable with your theory of these and that done by who and what. Bro or Sis, channel you ideas to a movie, tv series or a comic book at least you can name and dow for yourself. Think about it, cause you already are thinking for yourself only but in the process you may make Nepal proud in the international arena.

Gesar , what do u mean ?? Looks like u have to much knowledge on democracy.haahh.
dude, this never been such a big deal as there had not been any religious violence .If it was issue then yes it should be voted .Otherwiase it is another form of dictating.Right now SPA is dictating before they did.So don't give that logic voting with disaparity.

there is another crazy guy who is comparing hindu with saddam regime .He is just going out of his way to prove Secularism .I don't see any connection.neither my logic.I have already written enough about that so i do not want to write anymore cause this guy is going to repeat same thing again and again .He doesn't listen so i don't have to listen to him.This guy is hindu hater not for secularism now trying to potray as secularist and bash hinduism as he got the platform for it.he has sh..it in his head.