Saturday 14 / September / 2024
Kathmandu: A Nepali lawmaker from the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has demanded an amendment in the constitution to make Nepal a "Hindu State."
Lawmaker Kirankumar Sah made this demand in the lower house of federal parliament on Thursday. It is a rare instance when a lawmaker from the communist party has demanded a Hindu state.
Sah further claimed that the secularism adopted by the newly promulgated Constitution of Nepal 2072 has failed to give Nepal a respectful position in the world arena. He also claimed that secularism in terms of religion was also a reason for Nepal's loss in the election for the World Health Organization's (South Asia) Regional Director's Election.
"When Nepal was a Hindu state, in 1969 and 1988 it became the (elected non-permanent) member of the UN Security Council; it shows the position of Nepal in the international arena. But we made the nation a secular state, today when we file candidacy for the World Health Organization we lose. Did we make Nepal a secular state to see these days? We ruined the identity of the nation by claiming more stake for the food, shelter and clothes but we still are not able to fulfil those demands," Lawmaker Sah, said.
"Nepali youths are forcefully going abroad to fulfil the basic requirements of their family. Shortfall of students is closing colleges, industries are shutting down, fields are left barren, businesses are closing, and villages now only host the elderlies. The question arises in front of us, we had thought that we wrote the Constitution of Nepal through the constituent assembly, and all the leaders claimed it to be the finest constitution in the world but this constitution is neither able to yield progress nor identity to the nation. Therefore, the constitution needs to be amended and should be given the identity of Sanatana Hindu State," Sah laid the ways forward.
Nepal in the year 2006 had abolished a centuries-old constitutional monarchy after then King Gyanendra seized power and imposed an emergency sending all the leaders under house arrest. The movement also referred to as "People's Movement II" witnessed bloodshed with dozens killed in a crackdown against protestors by the government.
After weeks of violent protest and increasing international pressure, Gyanendra gave up and reinstated the dissolved parliament, the dawn of a new democracy is highlighted as Lokantantra (People's Rule).
Right-wing Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has been advocating and lobbying for the reinstatement of the Hindu State as well as the constitutional monarchy. While a faction within the Nepali Congress, a largest political party in Nepal's federal parliament also has been raising demands to make the Himalayan Nation a Hindu state.
