KATHMANDU, MAY 18
The United States' recent report on International Religious Freedom has drawn the attention of the mainstream political parties of Nepal and India's ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party. It has stated that Nepal's proselytising regime 'may be used arbitrarily'.
The report has also alleged that the BJP is indirectly funding high profile politicians of major parties such as Rastriya Prajatantra Party to speak in the favour of Hinduism.
International Religious Freedom Report, 2022 states that the laws in Nepal regarding conversion and religious conversion may restrict freedom of religion and expression, and officials of the US Embassy in Kathmandu have worked to ensure fair and safe treatment of their citizens who have committed religious offences.
The report has highlighted that multiple derogatory practices have been observed against various religions other than Hinduism, particularly against Christianity, Islam, and also Tibetan refugee community and other marginalised religious groups.
It is mentioned in the report that they have continuously urged government officials to bring laws in accordance with Nepal's constitution and international obligations.
Likewise, the government said it was against forced religious conversion and was committed to religious freedom.
The report of the US State Department mentioned that in the elections held last November, major parties did not put the issue of Hinduism in their political manifesto and did not talk about making the country a Hindu state again in their election campaign. But the report claimed that the Rastriya Prajatantra Party discussed the manifesto of Sanatan Dharma with religious freedom for people of all religious beliefs. The RPP has been advocating the restoration of Hinduism in Nepal and monarchy that Nepal overthrew in 2008.
Quoting some active civil society sources, the report reads that some RPP leaders have used anti-Christian sentiments to gain political support. The report has slammed India's ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party and its Hindutwa politics, citing that it is pressuring Nepal's leaders to support a 'return to a Hindu state'.
The report argues that 'according to civil society leaders and organisations, rightwing religious groups affiliated with India's BJP have paid influential leaders across all the parties to advocate for a Hindu state."
According to NGOs and Christian leaders, a thin number of pro-Hindu nationalist groups try to create anti-Christian atmosphere on social media and encourage upper-class Hindus to apply caste discrimination to local political rallies.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 19, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
