- The demand for changing Constitution to declare Nepal as Hindu Rashtra is catching momentum in the country
- Nepal has a Hindu history, probably comparable only to Bharat, however, Communists changed the dynamics in 2007
- The lesson from Nepal is that Communists would never want Hindus to flourish as Hinduism preaches peach, while the left survives only when conflicts in society are amplified
Karl Marx had once opined that “Religion is the opium of masses.” If his followers’ attitude towards religions is anything to go by, then it would suffice to say that they consider only Hinduism to be the opium of the masses. Don’t believe me? Let’s understand how it unfolded in Nepal and some other places as well.
Demand for declaring Nepal a ‘Hindu Rashtra’
Nepal looks all set to declare itself as ‘Hindu Rashtra’. The demand has picked up momentum in Nepal. It got its latest boost from a senior cabinet minister in PM Deuba’s cabinet.
Nepal just hosted a two-day Executive Council meeting of the World Hindu Federation in its capital. The meeting was attended by 150 representatives from different nations. Other than respective representatives from Asian countries like Sri Lanka, India and Nepal, the meeting was also attended by people from western countries like USA, United Kingdom and Germany.
Prem Ale, Nepal’s Minister for Tourism and Culture grabbed all the headlines coming from the meeting. He categorically stated that he is in favour of declaring Nepal a Hindu Rashtra. The demand was raised by Ajay Singh, International President of the World Hindu Federation. While raising his demand, he stressed on the fact that Hindus constitute a majority in Nepal.
‘Hindu Rashtra’ is possible only with people’s support
Ajay Singh also responded to those who often falsely claimed that ‘Hindu Rashtra’ can not be a democratic country. “If some countries can be declared as Islamic states and still adopt a democratic system and other countries can be declared as Christian states and still adopt the democratic system, then why not Nepal be declared as a Hindu democratic country?”, asked Singh
Ajay Singh asked every political party in Nepal including Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, The CPN-UML and the Madhesi parties to support the cause. Prem Ale also stressed on the fact that the decision to declare Nepal as Hindu Rashtra will come only when the people of Nepal will back it, as currently, Nepal is a Secular state under its Constitution.
Outlining how this dream could turn into a reality, Prem Ale said, “Although our Constitution has declared the country as a secular state, if the majority of the population are in favour of a Hindu state, then why not declare Nepal a Hindu state through referendum. As the present five-party coalition government enjoys close to two-third majority in Parliament, the demand to declare Nepal a Hindu state can be put into referendum”
Nepal PM’s India tour has given rise to speculations
The speculation around the issue has been fuelled by Nepal PM Deuba’s itinerary on his tour to India. On his tour to India, PM Deuba chose to visit BJP President J P Nadda before taking on government-level talks with officials. Moreover, his plans to visit Varanasi where CM Yogi will be there to attend him are also being seen as a step in the right direction.
Read more: Anti-India communists of Nepal fear Yogi the most. And it’s time PM Modi uses his Yogi card
Nepal’s tryst with Secularism and Muslims’ demand for Hindu Rashtra
It’s not that being a Hindu Rashtra will be a new phenomenon for Nepal. The country boasts of a Hindu history probably second only to Bharat. Up until 2006, the country was being run by a monarch which was a “Hindu Kingdom”. Moreover, because of the extremely tolerant nature of Hindus, the country was equal for followers of every religion and people used to live in unison.
When the Monarchy was removed in early 2007 and Communism infested left parties came to power, they overhauled the religious structure of Nepal. The Interim Parliament officially declared Nepal a Secular country in January 2007. After that various groups started demanding to bring back the old order with respect to religion in the country.
Read more: ‘We want Hindu Rashtra back,’ Citizens protest against Communist govt in Nepal, want monarchy back
In August 2015, even the Muslim community of Nepal raised their voices for re-establishing the country’s Hindu identity. They explicitly claimed that they are more secure under the fold of a Hindu state rather than a Secular Constitution. But, Nepali Politicians did not pay heed and declared Nepal a Secular Country under its 2015 Constitution.
Communist rise is antithetical to Hindus
Nepal was not the only place where Communists’ rise gave birth to the suppression of Hindus. The longer they stay in power, the more they hurt Hindu cause. It has also happened in India, in places such as Bengal, Kerala etc. Though the credit of Islamisation of Bengal goes largely to Mamata Banerjee, its seeds were sown during the Communist regime in the state. According to them, just because Muslims were less in number than Hindus, so they required special treatment from the government. If the memory of Communist regime in Bengal is fuzzy for someone, then they can look at how Kerala’s Communist government is treating Hindus. Even at the slightest hint that someone in state is supporting Hindus’ cause through their support to pro-Hindu organizations like BJP and RSS, they are killed by the goons.
Read more: Kerala is becoming a hotbed of Hindu massacre
In practice, Communism and Hinduism are the exact opposite. Hinduism preached tolerance, while Communism promotes conflicts. When conflicts arise, the left comes off as a Messiah for one group, thus ensuring that it stays relevant. It is only natural for them to oppose Hinduism, after all every ideology fears extinction.