Kathmandu, April 5:

Minister for Women Children and Social Welfare Pampha Bhusal today said though Nepal was declared a secular state by the interim constitution, the declaration was not being.

Releasing a book on Dr KB Rokaya, Bhusal lambasted doctors and engineers who seek greener pastures abroad as ‘new Lahures’. “Earlier, only labourers used to become Lahures, but now doctors and engineers have become new Lahures.”

Bhusal lauded Dr Rokaya’s role in the fight for justice. “Dr Rokaya’s dream for a new, prosperous, just and equitable Nepal would be fulfilled through the CA polls,” she said, adding, “He fought for justice to all groups in a different way than we did through the People’s War.”

Bhusal said Dr Rokaya’s intellectual skills and his specialisation would be fully utilised for the national development after the CA polls.

President of World Hindu Federation Damodar Gautam said the verses of the Bible and the Hindu religious epics were similar. “Therefore, I would like to suggest people of different religious beliefs to read holy books of all religions,” he said.

Speaking at the programme, Dr Rokaya said every citizen should utilise their skills and capabilities to the fullest for the nation’s development. He stressed on the need to go for change and equality in the society.

“I was very poor and had no access to anything but I have reached to this stage just because of my hard work,” Dr Rokaya, who is also a member of NHRC, said.

Dr Rokaya was tenth in SLC merit list when Dr Baburam Bhattarai was first in 2026 BS. He is also the vice-president of Inter-religious Council Nepal.

The book is a collection of his articles and interviews and edited and compiled by Thomas Bastola.