Interesting discussion, and I must say both Vhootee and Sidster have excellent points. Maybe it is not a big deal that we are screaming the birthplace at the top of our lungs but then if you look it closely, it actually is. We indeed are making a big deal out of it, aren't we? Or else why would we get all worked up when we always know facts cannot be changed.

Pardon me if I am incorrect, but maybe it just stems out of our inherent hatred towards Indians, maybe because of their so called hegemony, maybe we despise all Indians because of their accent, their competitiveness, their timidity, their stinginess etc. I do not know. Because quite honestly, everytime I sit down with fellow Nepalese friends the discussion is more than just Buddha, most of the discussion hovers around how their fellow coworker doesn't have an extra pair of sneakers and doesn't drink beer with them because it costs money. And I question myself, if I should be proud of Buddha being born in Nepal when we cannot put his wisdom in use.

I understand freedom of speech, and that we do not have any control over it. But I am in serious doubt that people who carried that banner in that soccer match peacefully wanted to inculcate Indians about our history and perhaps this is what riddle and vasudev were trying to explain. And while I say this I am not supporting Indians, they follow suit when they play against Pakistan, which in turns returns favor in similar fashion.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, theoretically what we are doing is wrong, regardless of the fact how Indians treat us if we truly are followers of Buddha.