nice video clip!! seems like people at back were not in mood for "jhyamma jhayamma". They are walking around with the attitue of "What the vuck jhyamma jhayamma?"

 

Thanks for keeping us informed.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

 

I hope this works out!!

Omni

 

Politics and Religion.

I am a Hindu and so my friend is. I am not a Brahman by cast but my friend is. We both are in USA studying Engineering. We usually go to Mc Donald for our lunch and most of the time I order double burger and he orders Spicy Chicken. Some times we both order from chicken menu. He has never tried beef not because he doesn’t like the taste but beef is a holy cow. Actually he used to make fun of me at the beginning but now it is no big deal. In my defense I used to tell him when I go back home, like before, I will stick to chicken and goat meat. Not even buffalo meat; not allowed in my family as the rule has been laid down by my mother. Actually it’s needless to say beef because Cow meat is out of question in Nepal. Just like that, my friend’s house rules also prohibit buffalo meat, but according to him he never missed a single chance to visit local Momo restaurants back home. I have never tried buffalo meat because I played by the house rules when I was in home. But my friend has already broken his house rule, so I asked him to get real and order cheese burger next time. Then he says, “Its not about house rule; its about religion. Buffalo is not holy, but we worship cow back home!!” Then I tell him, “But we don’t worship American Cow!!!!” He bounce back saying a cow is cow where ever it is. Then as a scripted dialogue I always tell him that we can not eat the back-home cows but we can eat the US cows, so there is the difference. That line usually brings our lunch time conversation to an end. He doesn’t like the idea of slaughtering Cow in Nepal. Then I don’t miss my golden opportunity to irritate him saying, “Imagine goat, buffalo and cow’s heads being displayed in your local butcher shop”. I can feel that he is very much against to that kind of thought. The funny chat goes on and on until a blonde passes by.

But it is not funny when my same friend also speaks for a secular Nepal. I am not saying that he has to eat a cow or dog meat to join the "secular club". But when he says Nepal should no longer be a Hindu kingdom, there is a great problem. This man who has never taken a single bite of beef (even in USA!!) and hates with the concept of slaughtering Cow in Nepal has problem with Nepal as a Hindu Kingdome. I think he is the perfect example of a guy who is messed up in between politics and religion.

He has gained lots of political aspects from media and he know it very well that all the great countries are secular. He knows that to speak about a Christian, Muslim or Hindu country is not popular (Israel sucks?). No big leaders “speak for” that, not even G.W. Bush.

Don’t get me wrong thinking that I am a die-hard Hindu who loves to see his country as a Hindu nation. This piece of writing only realizes the present situation, its not trying to pass any biased judgment. And what I have realized now that, all the countries have to go through this phase where they loose their virginity (unless they stand great wall all around it). And this phase also has mixed emotions like loosing something on one hand and entering a new world of concepts on other hand. A sea-change! No one can also block that change. So, wise people go for the change (with their roots and principle still rooted at the origin). I mean they grow toward change but not flow along the change. They just don’t plunge into the river of change. And in this modern world every one is wise, even G. W Bush. We all speak for change and for cosmopolitan.

My point here is, are you really really ready to accept the change in your daily life? If you are talking for your country then is your country ready for that change?

As I always ask the question to my friend I put the same question here also that can we allow cows being slaughter in Nepal? Will you digest your mutton that’s bought from the same store that sells beef? How about interracial relationships? Are you ready to overcome the traditional and beaten concept of cast system and deal with racism? That’s just one of the hundreds possible issues that will arise. A revolutionary butcher will slaughter a cow in a 99% Hindu town just to practice his rights whether the product sells or not. But that situation is not imaginable right now. So alog with good changes secularism may also trigger religious conflict to our country. Where it has not? And there is no lack of opportunist in the society that can play dirty games to gain their benefits from conflict of two different mass.
I am not speaking against the change as I am also a wise guy but not quiet like G.W Bush. But I am just realizing that we have reached the stage now where issues like religion will amplify. So if we have asked for a new changed world lets expand ourselves to include the new things too.

Cutting to the chase, there are people for whom religion is hard-wired and politics is a passion. Let’s hope there were very few of them who helped bringing this revolutionary change in our country Nepal. No U-turns!!

 

Actually I did some research and found this article that was related to what i was talking about.


Nepal Outraged Over Call to Kill Cows

Recently Mr. Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Minister for Labour and Social Welfare in the government of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML), publicly stated in Bara district that it is a violation of human rights that certain communities are not allowed to slaughter cows. The minister is presumed to be under the influence of the growing Nepalese Muslim lobby. He also asked for the cancellation of news in Sanskrit which was resumed from April 3, 1995, on the occasion of 45th anniversary of Radio Nepal.

Under the Himalayan country's five-year-old constitution, the cow, Nepal's national animal, is protected. Cow slaughter is a civil offence with a 12-year prison sentence. The local vernacular weekly Rastra Pukar reported in their April 12th issue that, "some followers of CPN-UML have slaughtered cows at Boxe V.D.C, Udaypur, inspired to commit this heinous crime by Minister Tuladhar's statements."

A wave of protest swelled among Nepalese Hindus. To quell unrest the government issued several statements, "The government is totally against cow slaughter in Nepal and any activity designed to cause a setback to this august tradition is not desirable for anyone.…It is the responsibility of all to put a stop to these disputes on the basis of their faith in religious tolerance existing in the country and revert to the sacrosanct status of the cow."

Nepalese Hindus perceive Mr. Tuladhar's statement as a direct challenge to the constitution and their Hindu faith. The government did not ask Mr. Tulardhar to resign, or ask him for a public explanation. Some feel the CPN-UML secretly supports the minister. Many have taken to the streets with banners like "Gai Katne Sarkar Rajinama De" i.e. "The cow killing government must resign." Effigies of Minister Tuladhar are being burned and protestors set up road blocks. The Arya Samaj and the World Hindu Federation officially condemned the minister's statements.

An April 9th issue of the Suruchi journal reports that the situation galvanized a contingent of the Maharastrian Shiv Sena party to come to Nepal and assist in the creation of a Nepalese Pasupati Sena. The new president, Mr. Arun Subedi, issued a call to Hindus for unity in preparation for possible action against the government. The Shiv Sena/Pasupati Sena hoisted various banners like "Gai Katna Paidaina, Emale Sarkar Chahidaina" i.e. "The cow cannot be killed. We do not need UML government." at various places in the capital city of Kathmandu. If the present momentum grows, it may result not only in the resignation of the minister but the end of the communist rule in Nepal. Vice-Chancellor of Mahendra Sanskrit University, Mr. Chuda Nath Bhattaraya, asked, "Where will our country be led under the United Marxist Lenist party which does not believe in religion, rebirth, nationalism and the King?"

Reported by Subhash Basnet, Nepal

Now tell me why all (i mean 100%) of the "lawmakers" were thumping their tables when the House of Representatives passed the secular law that is not appreciated by the people in the street? Actually i know that the other religion are growing in a considerable rate in Nepal (due to restless effort of missionares and failure of family planning). But still it will still take a decade to bring up the issue of secularism. No objections or even a tinge of uncertainty poped up over what the passed law will lead the country toward? Let us not flow away in the name of change. Be realistic.

 

The saga continues.....

The department of United states
International Religious Freedom Report on Nepal, 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits the practice of all religions; however, there are some restrictions. The Constitution describes the country as a "Hindu Kingdom," although it does not establish Hinduism as the state religion.

For decades dozens of Christian missionary hospitals, welfare organizations, and schools have operated in the country. These organizations have not proselytized and have otherwise operated freely. Missionary schools are among the most respected institutions of secondary education; many members of the governing and business elite graduated from Jesuit high schools. Many foreign Christian organizations have direct ties to churches and sponsor pastors for religious training abroad. After the death of Pope John Paul II, the Government ordered flags flown at half-staff for one day out of respect for the Pope.

Some holy days, most of them Hindu, are recognized as national holidays. These are Mahashivaratri, Buddha Jayanti, Falgun Purnima, Krishna Asthami, Dasain, and Tihar.

Public schools do not teach religion.

The Government has no formal policy on interfaith understanding.

In view of the illegality of proselytizing, there are officially no foreign missionaries.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

The law prohibits converting others and proselytizing; these activities are punishable by fines, imprisonment, or, for foreigners, expulsion from the country. However, personal conversion is allowed.

Members of minority religions occasionally complain of police harassment. Some Christian groups are concerned that the ban on proselytizing limits the expression of non-Hindu religious belief. The Government investigates reports of proselytizing. There were no incidents of punishment for conversion or proselytizing during the reporting period. On April 27, police arrested a couple and investigated them for reports of forcibly converting children; the police released them on May 9. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or individuals were free to file charges of proselytizing against individuals or organizations.

Christian groups report that government officials refuse to register any religious organizations whose titles contain the words, "Jesus, Bible, Christian, or Church." These groups note that, unless registered, such organizations cannot own land, important for establishing churches or burial of members. However, by removing the Christian words from their titles, some groups have registered their organizations and practiced their faith. Some Christians bury their dead in Christian cemeteries in Kathmandu and some other areas around the country, and others use cremation. Civil servants can take off religious holidays and celebrate them on private property without government interference.

Tibetan Buddhists have faced various restrictions on their celebrations. Local authorities generally restrict celebration of Tibetan religious festivals to private property. Police in Kathmandu prohibited Tibetans celebrating the New Year from carrying pictures of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, around the Bhouddhanath stupa as part of religious ceremonies. The Government restricted to private places (school grounds or inside monasteries) all of the local Tibetan celebrations (Tibetan New Year, the Dalai Lama's birthday, Democracy Day, and International Human Rights Day/Celebration of the Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize). In January, the Government closed two unregistered offices in Kathmandu associated with the Dalai Lama: the office of the Dalai Lama's representative and the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office. The welfare office looks after more than 20,000 Tibetan refugees who left their homeland after the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959. The Government claimed it closed the offices because they did not comply with the law requiring the registration of all NGOs, religious or otherwise, and the welfare office was in the process of registering with the government so as to comply with the law. The Government has allowed other organizations and individuals to continue looking after the refugees in the interim.

Muslim religious schools, or madrassahs, but not mosques, must register with local District Administration Offices (part of the Home Ministry) and supply information about their funding sources in order to continue operation; they receive no government funding. Some Muslim leaders criticized the move as discriminatory. However, the registration requirement has not been enforced. Muslims are not restricted from participating in the Hajj, though the government does not subsidize the pilgrimage. As with Christians, Muslim civil servants can take off religious holidays and celebrate them on private property without government interference.

The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste; however, the caste system strongly influences society. While the Government has stressed that caste-based discrimination is illegal and temple access for "lower castes" has improved in some areas, caste discrimination remains frequently practiced at Hindu temples, which some Hindu priests do not let untouchables enter. Lower castes also experience discrimination in many other areas of life, including education, employment, and marriage. Other religious communities do not practice caste discrimination. Entrance to many Hindu temples is often restricted for persons not of South Asian ethnicity, who are unlikely to be Hindu. The Press and Publications Act prohibits the publication of materials that create animosity among persons of different castes or religions.

On September 1, 2004, after an Iraqi militant group killed 12 Nepalese expatriate workers in Iraq, mob violence in Kathmandu and other areas of the country targeted mosques and Muslim businesses as well as manpower agencies and press houses. Seven persons were killed, four by mob violence because they were or were believed to be Muslim. Immediately following the riots, Nepal's Prime Minister made a nationwide address calling on citizens to eschew communal violence and maintain religious harmony. A government investigation resulted in no arrests, but the Government compensated affected manpower agencies.

Parents are not prevented from teaching their religion of choice to children, who may live a religious life.

There are no restrictions on the selling or possession of religious literature.

There are no laws that apply only to certain religious groups.

Religion-affiliated political parties are restricted to the extent that Article 113.3 of the 1991 Constitution states that the Election Commission shall not register any political organization or party that discriminates for membership against any citizen on the basis of religion, caste, tribe, language, or sex or that has a name, insignia, flag, or objective that is religious or communal or tends to fragment the country.

There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.

During the period covered by this report, Maoist insurgents restricted religious freedom in parts of the country. There were regular reports of Maoists enforcing a "people's calendar" in schools that did not allow for religious holidays. According to one Christian organization, Maoists began demanding the use of church grounds for their indoctrination programs in eastern areas. When the demands were refused, Maoists forced churches to close.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Abuses by Terrorist Organizations

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is a designated terrorist organization under the "Terrorist Exclusion List" of the Immigration and Nationality Act and under Executive Order 13224.

There were scattered reports of Maoist insurgents attacking Hindu temples and harassing Hindu priests during the reporting period.

On May 17, 2004, a group of Maoists abducted a Royal Nepal Army priest from Ramechhap District.

On September 12, 2004, Maoists exploded a bomb and forced the closure of St. Joseph's school in Pokhara. The school's 551 students mostly were from underprivileged ethnic communities.

In September 2004, Maoist threats prompted the temporary closing of 21 churches in Sankhuwasabha District.

On December 29, 2004, Maoists shot dead Arun Budhathoki, Chief of Shiva Shena Nepal, a Hindu religious organization, in Nepalgunj, Banke District.

In May 2005, Narayan Pokharel, president of the Nepal branch of the World Hindu Council, was killed in the district of Rupandehi, approximately 300 kilometers (175 miles) from Kathmandu. Although no one has acknowledged responsibility, police suspect the involvement of Maoist rebels.

In addition to attacking regular schools, Maoists reportedly attacked Christian schools, orphanages, and homes in efforts to forcibly conscript children.

Section III. Societal Attitudes

Adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist peacefully and respect all places of worship. Most Hindus respect the many Buddhist shrines located throughout the country; Buddhists accord Hindu shrines the same respect. Buddha's birthplace is an important pilgrimage site, and his birthday is a national holiday. Subsequent to the communal rioting following the September 1 slaying by extremists of 12 Nepalese expatriate workers in Iraq, leaders of multiple faiths organized a rally in Kathmandu and called on their followers to maintain religious harmony.

Some Christian groups report that Hindu extremism has increased in recent years. Of particular concern are the Nepalese affiliates of the India-based Hindu political party Shiv Sena, locally known as Pashupati Sena, Shiv Sena Nepal, and Nepal Shivsena. Government policy does not support Hindu extremism, although some political figures have made public statements critical of Christian missionary activities. Some citizens are wary of proselytizing and conversion by Christians and view the growth of Christianity with concern. There are unconfirmed reports that Maoists suppressed religious observance in areas under their control through intimidation and harassment.

Those who choose to convert to other religions, in particular Hindu citizens who convert to Islam or Christianity, sometimes are ostracized socially. They may face isolated incidents of hostility or discrimination from Hindu extremist groups. Some reportedly have been forced to leave their villages. While this prejudice is not systematic, it can be vehement and occasionally violent. Nevertheless, converts generally are not afraid to admit in public their new religious affiliations.
Although such discrimination is prohibited by the Constitution, the caste system strongly influences society. Societal discrimination against members of lower castes and untouchables remains widespread and persistent. In December 2004, approximately a dozen persons were injured in a scuffle when the management committee of a Hindu temple in Chitwan District tried to stop "low caste" persons from entering the temple. Such incidents occurred despite the Government's efforts to protect the rights of disadvantaged castes. In March 2002, the Government constituted a National Dalit Commission charged with protecting and promoting dalit (formerly called "untouchable") rights and ensuring active participation of the dalit community in the development of the country by uplifting and developing all the dalits. The Commission devises legal and policy arrangements for dalit rights, makes recommendations to implement international documents to which the country is a party, monitors and coordinates NGOs on efforts to uplift dalits, and launches programs on social awareness to end social discrimination and untouchability.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. The U.S. Embassy maintains contact with Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and other religious groups. The Embassy monitors closely religious freedom and raises the issue with the Government when appropriate. In March, the Embassy sponsored the monk in charge of Sangharam Bhikkhu Buddhist Training Center in Kathmandu for an International Visitor program in the United States entitled Religious Diversity in America.

 

Totally true.
good post!