I am a Buddhist, and I have been part of the April Revolution, even though I have been in New York City and not in Nepal. (
DPACNY: The Empire Strikes Back) I was born a Hindu, I grew up a Hindu. But I became a Buddhist. I have a stake in the April Revolution.
A country can not call itself a Hindu nation and still claim to be a democracy. The state has to be secular, or it is not democratic. The state may not patronize any one religion, or any religion. But democracies provide more room for religious activities than autocracies. It is called religious freedom, and that is a human right. A Hindu in Nepal can be as Hindu as he wants to be. Nothing stops you. Go worship all day if you want, does not bother me.
But if you can only live in a Nepal that calls itself a Hindu nation, that is not a Hindu, that is a Hindu supremacist. You are saying the only way you can feel Hindu is by feeling the non-Hindus are somehow inferior to you. That is not okay. That is not something to be tolerated.
There can be no room whatsoever in the new Nepal's mainstream for Hindu supremacist thinking. Push them off to the fringes.
To defend the secular state is to defend the April Revolution, and that shall be done.
We also have to watch out for counter-revolution. The defeated royalists might be working in the background. We can not stand by watching.
We might have to organize our own rallies for religious tolerance, and religious equality. All Nepalis are equal regardless of their religious background. The Hindu supremacists are simply going to have to put up with that basic fact.
This can not be taken lightly. This riot has been the first act of counter-revolution. We have to respect the right to peaceful assembly, even that of the Hindu supremacist, but we do have to hit back politically.
We also have to organize some inter-faith dialogue. We should gather the top Hindu religious leaders and organize a conversation where we make the point that now after democracy there actually is more room for Hindus for their religious activities not less.
This riot is something to get alarmed about, but it also can be an opportunity to educate the people. The jump to a secular state has been a big one. And we have to help people adjust to the new reality. We should take that up as a challenge.
Democracy is not a small decision. It is a process. There is a lot of institution building we will have to engage in over years to fully cement the achievements of the April Revolution. We have to be realistic in terms of all the homework we still have to do.
Nepal Hindus in secular protest BBC News, UK
Strike by Hindus shuts down Nepal town San Jose Mercury News
Hindu groups block roads in southern Nepal Zee News
Hindus protest Nepal's secular move United Press International
Major southern Nepalese town paralysed by strike Monsters and Critics.com, UK
Nepalis protest over secular moves Reuters AlertNet, UK
Thousands protest against Parliament's move to declare Nepal a ... OhmyNews International, South Korea
Nepal Should Be a Hindu Nation OhmyNews International, South Korea
Nepal: Hindus protest Montreal Gazette (subscription), Canada
Hindu groups block roads in southern Nepal Zee News, India
Hindus protest Nepal's secular move United Press International
Thousands of Nepalis protest over secular move Gulf Times, Qatar
Thousands protest Nepal secular statehood Brocktown News, USA
Protest against move to declare Nepal a secular state Zee News, India
Hindu activists close down Birgunj Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Hindu ultras shut down Nepal's industry hub NewKerala.com, India
'Secular Nepal' finds itself in the eye of controversy Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Catholic leaders welcome Nepal as secular state CathNews, Australia
Strike by Hindus shuts down Nepal town Boston Globe, United States
Strike by Hindus Shuts Down Nepal Town Guardian Unlimited, UK
Thousands Protest Nepal Secular Statehood Washington Post, United States
Thousands protest Nepal secular statehood Boston Globe, United States
Thousands Protest Nepal Secular Statehood Salon
Thousands protest Nepal secular statehood San Jose Mercury News, USA
Thousands Protest Nepal Secular Statehood Houston Chronicle, United States
Nepal Hindus in secular protest Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Hindus Protest Nepal's Secular Move Post Chronicle
Nepal Hindus in secular protest Samudaya.org, AZ
Hindus protest Nepal's secular move Washington Times, DC
Strike by Hindus Shuts Down Nepal Town Wilmington Morning Star, NC
Thousands Protest Nepal Secular Statehood The Ledger, FL
Thousands protest Nepal secular statehood News & Observer, NC
Nepalis protest over secular moves Samudaya.org, AZ
Hindu ultras shut down Nepal's industry hub Indian Muslims, California
Hindu ultras shut down Nepal’s industry hub India eNews.com, India
Hindu ultras shut down Nepal's industry hub DailyIndia.com, NY
In The News
Maoist team holds talks with SPA leaders NepalNews
Govt. will scrap anti-media freedom laws: Minister Badu
`Regressive elements' active to defame democracy: Sitaula
Government to release all political detainees
Birjunj shut down for the second day
'Secular Nepal' finds itself in the eye of controversy
Prime Minister, CoAS discuss security situation
Doctors call for indefinite closure of health services Kantipur Publications
PM holds consultations with Army Chief
Lawmakers demand action against defaulters
Talks team, code of conduct today
MPs critisize govt for flouting Proclamation
NHRC urges govt, Maoist to sign human rights accord
Angry group vandalizes Nursing Home
प्रधानमन्त्रीले घोषणा उल्लंघन गरेकामा आपत्ति
संविधानसभामा अलमल नगर्न सुझाव
वार्ता टोलीको पूर्णता आज
हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा माग गर्दै प्रदर्शन
स्वास्थ्य केन्द्रमा आक्रमण
जनमतको अनादर नहोस्
लोकतन्त्रमा अपांग
शान्तिप्रतिको प्रतिबद्धता र जनयुद्धको अवतरण
प्रतिनिधिसभा घोषणा र राज्यका चुनौती
इमानदारीको पुनःस्थापना
दरबार र सेनाको खर्च घट्नेछ’
श्वेतपत्रप्रति संसद्मा असन्तोष
Nepal to free Maoist prisoners ahead of talks Times of India, India
Nepal seeks talks with Maoists CNN-IBN, India
Nepal frees 467 Maoists CNN-IBN
Nepal Army: swearing of allegiance United We Blog, Nepal
India ready to extend financial aid to Nepal Financial Express, India
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