Grow up guys! aadivasis-janjatis-dalits have been demanding a secular state for years now. It was one of the demands of the recent movement, but was subsumed under the banner “Samabeshi Loktantra.” Going secular is good news for Nepal. this is an EXCELLENT news for both the marginalized muslim/ and historically persecuted christian community as well as for the aadivasi-janjati-dalits! mind you, enlightened brahmins/chhetris have also been in the forefront of a crusade for a secular state. you cannot have a 'samabeshi loktantra' with a hindu tag. how can you have over a dozen upa-dafas pertaining to Hinduism and ONLY ONE pertaining to Buddhism in the now-nearly-defunct constitution (thank God), and not a single one for Islam or other religions? Tagging Nepal as a "Hindu country" is discriminatory and offensive to countless other religions!!! grow up again dudes! that 85% of the population of Nepal are Hindus is a myth - no matter what the manipulated figures in the population censuses taken during the hindu regime show. Don’t you get it? It was on this and similar other heaps of lies that the legitimacy of the Palace and the God-like status of the Shah Dynasty was built! you must know that the state-sponsored population censuses have always been mired in controversies - and even the National Planning Commission have had to admit to this fact on more occasions than one. “Katmar” under secular Nepal? Again grow up dudes. at least, this is a good first step toward abolition of the apartheid of South Asia (caste system) which stems directly from fundamentalist Hinduism, which has been given protection by the palace. there has been more “katmar” under Hindu Nepal than you can even document. Kotparbas, royal massacre, revolts! Even animal rights activists are scared of the voracious appetites of hindu gods and goddesses such as Kali Mata. Haven't you heard of the allegations that Mr. Bharat Keshari Singh's groups were involved in the murder of Mr. Pokhrel, who had financed many education institutions across Nepal through organising of "Yagyas”. I think the new Nepal Government must look into this allegation and bring the culprits to book. shiva sena resides in pointlessness in India. they are a spent force. hindu Bishwo Parishad also resides in pointlessness. certainly, Secular Nepal may open up possibilities for religion-based politics and give rise to Nepali BJPs. But there are also countervailing forces in Nepal. You guys have to remember that the Dalits - aadivasis - janjatis - muslims - christians are a formidable force and they have the numbers. enlightened Brahmins and Chhteris are okay with the secular tag, and are even saying that this is best for the country. Maoists as well as the large swathes of rural population they have a sway over have welcome this Secular Tag. So to say that Nepal is imposing a "Secular" tag on a country with 87% to 97% Hindus is a heap of statisitical lies. Did I also mention women who are fed up of patriarchy, which had been given a boost and protection by the palace and its god-like King. mind you, the non-Hindu minorities are increasingly empowering themselves, organising themselves and asserting themselves, thanks to the space created for them by the 2046 movement. Aadivashis-janjatis alone make up 37% of the population. Dalits make up 20%. Women make up almost 50%. Christians and Muslims are rapidly growing in numbers. So with figures like these, it is not scientific to say that Nepal is a "Hindu" country. Anyway this has nothing to do with science. Turkey’s muslim population may actually exceed 90% but it is still a Secular Country. I don’t think Secular Nepal will create any long term problem – it may create a short term problem. I say Secular Nepal will not pose problems in the long term because even though Nepali BJPs may come to power (every dog has its day) in Secular Nepal - so what? Many BJPs have come and gone in India - but India is still a secular country. The dog barks but the caravan moves on. Only in Secular Nepal, can we have equal respect for all religions, all cultures - thus enriching the diversity of Nepal in the face of homogenizing effect of globalisation. This is a very positive thing! Otherwise what difference is there between people who argue in this thread that Nepal is a “Hindu Country” and should remain so, and our successive kings who have always acted like they own Nepal – that Nepal is their “birta”. Lest people counter that going Nepal secular under is “indianisation of Nepal”, it helps to remember that Nepal has been more indianised under Hindu Nepal. I have actually overheard Paras say, “I’m married to India.” He meant this both literally and figuratively. You must know about the Sankacharyas from South India, who exercise control over the running of Pashupati Nath. And it was the Sankarcharya from South India who introduced Hinduism’s ugliest aspect –Caste System – in Nepal. Hell, it was with Hinduisation of Nepal that Indianisation of Nepal began. This happened long ago – ever since the Hindu Kings of India were chased out of India by the Mongol (or Moghul) herds. So if people on this thread argue that Nepal going secular is “indianisation of Nepal” needs to get an update - reread their history. HINDU tag is an idea whose time has gone. Gone with the wind! I never felt proud to hear the line “Nepal is the only Hindu country in the world”, and I have never ever said it. Who know if Hinduism may actually flourish under Secular Nepal – paradoxically speaking? I have no doubt that pashupati nath temple will acquire a much cleaner and more respected image under Secular Nepal. Under the kathit “Asal Hindu Rastra Nepal”, pashupati nath temple had become a poster boy of mismanagement, fraudulence, chakribad, corruption, sins, thanks to the palace and palace-propped puppets. when count draculas like Bharat Keshari Singh & the palace puppets masquerade as spokespersons for "ASAL HINDU Rashtraya", this is what happens – they ruin/dirty the image of Pashupati Nath temple and, by extension, of Hinduism. They allowed the holy Bagmati River/Sali Nadi to be polluted. Where do you think all that money that the devotees offered to Pashupati Nath temple went? No point for guessing correctly. The money that could have been used to clean up holy rivers. Declaring Nepal a “SECULAR NEPAL” was a quick way to drive a stake through the hearts of these draculas and their false-god-king and their institutions, and thereby prevent their sullying the image of Hinduism further. Under Secular Nepal, we may finally have the chance to restore Hinduism, and thereby Pashupati Nath, Bagmati & Sali Nadi, to their pristine glories and coexist peacefully (more than ever before) with other religions and cultures? Have you thought along these lines at all guys? May Pashupati Nath give you the inspiration to think along these lines as well! ------------------------------------------ regarding Yusuf's posting: he BJP and the WHF have no use pointing finger at the Nepali government. The Indian government is not going to listen to these militant fundamentalist Hindus or the party or organisations they are affiliated to. These entities are a disgrace to the ENLIGHTENED MODERN SECULAR INDIA. Their relevance is fast disappearing from India itself. The fanatical Hindus are exposing themselves for who they are: religious bigots, supremacists, promoters of the apartheid in south asia, one based on caste! These guys are raising the spectres of ISI and Maoists. Well this is nothing new. It is not like we didn't have ISI and Maoists under HINDU NEPAL. The Indian government does not have the moral authority to interfere in the matter of whether Nepal should be a secular state or a Hindu or a Buddhist or a Muslim or a Christian state, since India itself is a Secular State, and thank God for that. Moreover, India-protected country Bhutan, too, is on the way to becoming a secular state. Nepal is not alone in this. So I don't see how the Indian government will exercise leverage on this matter over Nepal. Since India is a democratic country, it was natural for it to support our government's latest declaration (which brought powers to the people). But since India is itself a secular state, it would not be natural or right for it give in to these fundamentalist Hindus's pressures. If the current government (say Congress) of India gives in to these guys even an inch, this party are gonna write its own demise at the next general election. Of course, I have no doubt the Nepali government will ignore the calls of these BJPs and WHFs - lest they drag Nepal into a greater "shit-hole" they are currently in. Nepal is rising, the hindu fundamentalists are sinking, and are now grabbing desperately at a straw. Did you see the Indian government raise a quota for the backward castes in medical schools? This is an example of the enlightened India! In short, this is nothing more than a lame BJP ploy to stage a comeback to power in India. If they have to depend on an event happening in Nepal to stage a comeback, how hopeless must their situation be. This is anybody’s guess!