In a surprising move, Muslims in Nepal supported the current campaign for restoring the country’s former Hindu identity, saying they are more “safe and secure” under a Hindu state than under a secular Constitution.
“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,” said Amjad Ali who is chairman of the Rapti Muslim Society.
Interestingly, he also demanded a Hindu state in Nepal by participating in protests. While CPN-UML CA member identified as Anarkali Miya talks about her own experience as she reckons that missionaries are trying to influence people from other faiths to follow Christianity.
“I believe Nepal should not adopt secularism. It will only create more problems in future,” Miya said.
Udbudhin Fru, the chairman of Muslim Mukti Morcha affiliated to the UCPN (Maoist), also confessed growing influence of Christianity in Nepal.
“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,” Babu Khan Pathan who is the chairperson of the Rastrabadi Muslim Manch Nepalgunj, was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.
“We don’t need a secular identity, but want to see the country called Hindu State as this ensures safety and security for all,” Pathan added and claimed that around 80 per cent of Muslims in Banke are in favour of Hindu State identity.
It has been said that Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, which is a pro-monarchy party and some other pro-Hindu organisations have also been campaigning for “reinstating Nepal to a Hindu state” as the country intends to follow new rules and regulations.
