Nepal party demands country's return to Hindu nation

Nepal's pro-Hindu party on Friday asserted that no one could stop the country from turning back into a Hindu nation and accused politicians of advocating secularism under the influence of the West.

"No one can stop from turning the country into a Hindu state," claimed Kamal Thapa, the president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), while addressing a rally of about 10,000 people in Kathmandu. The rally was organised on the conclusion of a nationwide 10-day-long 'rath yatra' for reinstating Nepal as a Hindu nation.

The party concluded the 1,900-km-long Mechi–Mahakali Rath Yatra that began on December 25 from far-east to far-west region of the country. He claimed that the political leaders have been advocating secularism under the influence of western money by misleading the people. Nepal was converted into a secular state from a Hindu nation in 2008 through a Parliament declaration following the abolition of monarchy from the country.

"The new constitution should ensure the identity of a Hindu nation for Nepal," Thapa said.

"When there are more than 40 Muslim countries and over 70 Christian countries, why can't Nepal become a Hindu state in today's world which is home to over 1.8 billion Hindus," asked Thapa. He also asked political parties to make serious efforts to promulgate the new constitution within the stipulated date of January 22.

The RPP-N organised the nationwide 'rath yatra' to exert pressure to reinstate the nation as a Hindu state. He also demanded a provision be made to ban cow slaughtering in the new constitution.