In an unusual move, Muslims in Nepal have backed the ongoing campaign for reinstating the country’s erstwhile Hindu identity, saying they are more “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, chairman of the Rapti Muslim Society, who is also involved in the protest programmes demanding a Hindu state in Nepal.
CPN-UMl CA member Anarkali Miya said she has personally experienced missionaries 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, chairman of Muslim Mukti Morcha affiliated to the UCPN (Maoist), also admitted the 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, chairperson of the Rastrabadi Muslim Manch Nepalgunj, was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.