Loote-jyu,

I understand your point and I also agree with the conventional wisdom regarding general precautions.

However, for this particular issue at hand, I would consider the following specific circumstances for assessing the need and risks.

One, as I talked about earlier, it was not possible to stop it. Nobody could have succeeded to deny Maoist insistence and pro-republican civil society’s support to it.

Two, the Hindu extremism we fear actually does not exist in Nepal.

Few bhardars in Hindu garbs and a few dozens of hired Sadhus do not make Hindu extremism; a power to reckon with already or a potential power of future, by definition.

This dismissal, so to speak, of mine about Hindu extremism in Nepal is based on my take/observation that political and economic issues and political parties seem likely to be dominant over any other issues and any other groups in Nepal for next several years, if not decades to come. In other words, the extremism of Maoist and YCL are going to ward off any Hindu extremism, be it home brewed or exported from India.

Nepalis are undoubtedly religious. But the good news is that they are religiously (spiritually) religious, not politically religious.

I think the spiritual character of Nepali religiousness is not going to change in any foreseeable future, no matter how much and how hard the Hindu extremists of India and their political ally of Nepal try.

So, all in all, I think there is no realistic chance for secularism for being detrimental to Nepal. Au contraire, any attempt to reverse it is going to be fought vehemently and, if the past is any guide, successfully too.

Mero 2 aanaa.  

Nepe