By Anil Giri in The Kathmandu Post, Nov 28, 2023
Nepal has seen a series of demonstrations lately—by pro-Hindu groups in Dharan and Nepalgunj, by the monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party in Jhapa, and by supporters of controversial medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai in Kathmandu. These protests have alarmed the country’s top political brass.
Thousands of people demanding the restoration of Hindu state and constitutional monarchy staged demonstrations in Dharan in August-end, and in Nepalgunj and a few other districts in the first week of October, in a sporadic manner, not only posing challenges for security agencies but also creating room for “rise of the right” in the country.
Former king Gyanendra Shah participated in a public function organised by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in Jhapa on Saturday where the RPP supporters vowed to reinstate Hindu state and constitutional monarchy in Nepal.
Meanwhile, these sporadic protests, shows of strength and other demonstrations by pro-Hindu and pro-monarchy groups have also prompted the three major political parties to come together to assert that there is no immediate threat to the republic, federalism and inclusive Nepal.
Serious political questions have been posed before the major political parties including the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the CPN (Maoist Centre), and others. These three parties are one on republican set up, but there appears to be some uneasiness on secularism, and leaders are now opening a debate on revoking the country’s secular identity.
Opening the ‘Pandora’s box’, Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said on Monday that his party is open to discussing secularism, but restoration of monarchy was unimaginable.
He had made similar remarks in a recent meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Daha and CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli.
“There is no question of the monarchy returning in Nepal,” Deuba said while addressing a function in Nawalpur district. “We can discuss secularism in the party, but the republican setup has no alternative.”
There is also increasing pressure on the Congress and its leadership to speak up in light of the surging rightist movement in the country.
“People have overthrown the monarchy through the constitution, so there is no chance of its return,” Deuba added. “I have heard statements along the lines that Deuba is silent on some of the recent activities. It is a clear position of our party that any activity against the republic and federalism is unacceptable.”
There is a sizable number of leaders and cadres in the Congress who still support the restoration of Hindu state despite the party’s official adoption of secularism as the country’s guiding religious ideology.
Prime Minister Dahal also expressed concerns over recent activities. “Some are trying to create anarchy by spreading misinformation against the federal democratic republic and socialist-oriented state,” Dahal said while inaugurating his party’s new website on Monday. “The country will move forward, there is no chance of going back.”
Some Congress leaders said that the party leadership is getting feedback that if the party doesn’t stand in favour of removing the country’s secular identity and rethinking some aspects of the federal setup, the party is not likely to do very well in the upcoming elections.
But a senior Nepali Congress leader, Dr Shekhar Koirala, told the Post that there has been no discussion in the party on removing the state’s secular identity.
“Neither Deubaji nor the party has engaged in any discussion on reconsidering Nepal’s secular identity,” said Koirala. “But one should understand that all three issues—republicanism, federalism and secularism—are intertwined.”
He said that it was Oli, Deuba and Dahal who failed to give the provinces the powers provisioned in the constitution. “How can they say that they are in favour of republicanism?” said Koirala. “But one thing is certain, a large number of Congress leaders and supporters hesitate to speak on the issue of religion.”
Koirala was surprised why Oli, Deuba and Dahal were so alarmed by recent street demonstrations demanding restoration of Hindu state and monarchy, and abolition of the federal setup.
“I don’t see any problem discussing religion, federalism and secularism, as the constitution has not barred anyone from discussing and seeking alternatives to these arrangements,” Koirala added. “The frustration and anger on the street is not against the system or the current political setup, but against the present rulers and some party leaders.”
In 2018, Shankar Bhandari of the Nepali Congress led a campaign in the party for the restoration of the Hindu state. But it failed to gain traction after most leaders refused to entertain the idea.
Of the 1,400 Congress Mahasamiti members, 734 had signed up for the restoration of Hindu state. The Congress has called a meeting of the Mahasamiti for mid-January where the issue of restoration of the Hindu identity could be discussed, party leaders said.
Leaders like Bhandari are once again planning to raise the issue in the party. “We will propose this issue for discussion in the party again, because several of our friends are in favour of restoring the country’s Hindu identity,” Bhandari told the Post.
https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2023/11/28/congress-open-to-debating-secularism-within-the-party
