Kathmandu - "The decision to attack religious people was a mistake. I ask the forgiveness of all religious communities”. This is the statement from prison from Ram Prasad Mainali, former head of Nepal Defense Army (NDA) the Hindu group responsible for the attack last May 23 on the church of Lalitpur, which killed three Christians. "I want to ask the community (Christian and Muslim) to not look at me with disdain - he continues - but I wish that they take pity on me and I ask them to always pray for me."
The NDPA is a little-known group, but over the years has claimed a series of terrorist activities including murder, explosions and intimidation. Its goal is to create a Hindu style state in Nepal.
In addition to bombing the Catholic cathedral of Kathmandu, the group claimed responsibility for the attack on the headquarters of the Congress Central Party on 11 August last, the mosque of Birantnagar of 26 April. The group is also accused of the death of Fr John Prakash, rector of the Salesian school Sirsya (Morang), who was killed by unknown assailants in July 2007. After his arrest on September 10 Mainali says he is a changed man. "The Hindu state should not be achieved by killing Muslims and Christians – he says - problems can not be solved by violence. This is what I have understood in prison. " In Nakkhu prison, he participates each week in a lecture on the Bible and moments of prayer and discussion with the inmates of the Christian faith. "Mainali has changed his heart through our readings and discussions on the Bible," says Sunsil Darshadhari, a young Catholic and his companion in prison. The pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption remains rather skeptical. "We need to understand whether this change is true - he says - he might have said this just to get out of prison." The same opinion is shared by Nazrul Hussein, president of the Islamic Federation of Nepal. "He and his group have committed serious crimes - he says - his pardon can not be a matter of religion, but only the law and it should not forgive." Now the former NDP leader said he wants to launch a peaceful protest to demand and the creation of a Hindu state. He has announced that some cadres of the group have already met in a secret area to plan the event. Its goal is to bring over 10 million Hindus onto the streets of the capital.
RSS
I also support the opinion that the Hindu state should not be achieved by killing Muslims and Christians. But, it is my request to all religions- understand the reality of Hinduism.
Among all religions of the world, Hindu religion is considered as an ancient religion that is recognized as the foundation of civilization and as the most liberal democratic way of life. Hinduism & Buddhism are the identities & cultural assets of Nepal. The Lord Pashupathinath, Shoyambhunath, Lumbini, Barahachetra, Gosaikunda, Muktinath, Ridi, Janakidham, Devghat of Nepal, Kailash Mansharobar of Tibet (well accessed for Nepalese and Hindus), and Tirupati, Rameshroram, Jagannath, Badrinath, Amarnath of India are the symbolic shrines of Hinduism & Buddhism. The people of Nepal and India always have cordial relations due to the cultural and religious resemblance. They should know that if instability persists in Nepal, it could be a bastion of terrorism posing a threat to the whole world. When present India (Hindustan) was not in existence, there were more than 25 nations, 250 years ago, the great King Prithvi Narayan Shah expressed –"Nepal is true Hindustan" Hinduism is the mother of all religions.
31 Aug 2009 Newsweek magazine, USA >www.newsweek.com< Lisa Miller writes- According to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christian (still, that's the lowest percentage in American history). Of course, we are not a Hindu—or Muslim, or Jewish, or Wiccan—nation, either. A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth. But recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity. The Rig Veda, the most ancient Hindu scripture, says: "Truth is one, but the sages speak of it by many names." A Hindu believes there are many paths to God. Jesus is one way, the Qur'an is another.
Therefore, if Nepal is to be declared a secular country, all countries, which call themselves as Christian or Muslim countries should also be declared secular countries. If they want Nepal to become a secular country, they should also be willing to shun their 'Cross' of the Christians, 'sign of David of the Jews and 'Kawa' of Muslims. However, it needs to be pondered that even if Nepal was a Hindu Kingdom, it nature was like a secular country as Hindus have never done anything that would harass or trouble other religions.
Thank you.
Dirgha Raj Prasai
Email:dirgharajprasai@gmail.com