KATHMANDU, Feb 17 - A group of Hindu activists accompanied by Sadhus, who came from various places in India for the Mahashivaratri festival, staged a protest rally in the capital Saturday afternoon demanding that the government roll back its decision to declare Nepal a secular state. A leaflet distributed during the rally has alleged that the current government is undemocratic and despotic as it fails to recognize political parties other than the ruling Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoists. In the leaflet, the Hindu fundamentalists have termed the new Citizenship Act 'anti-national' and appealed to all nationalist forces to safeguard national territory, which, according to them, is being encroached every year. "We believe there must be a constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy for the protection of Nepali nationality and sovereignty," the leaflet adds. Joined by hundreds of activists belonging to Shiv Sena Nepal and a little known group called Nepal Independent Youth Society, the rally marched through Gaushala, Old Baneshwor, Putali Sadak, Bagabazar, Old Bus Park, Shahid Gate, Ratnapark, Kamalpokhari and Ratopul before finally converging in a religious meet in the Bankali area. Five cows were in the vanguard of the rally. A large number of the participants were seen carrying placards and a few carried tridents. Addressing the meet, various speakers including Bharat Keshar Simha, president of WHF Nepal, Durga Pokharel and Sadhus and religious leaders vented anger against the government's decision on a secular Nepal. They also announced peaceful sit-ins in the capital to urge the government to revert the country back to its Hindu status. Apprehensive of demonstrations by visiting Sadhus and Hindu fundamentalist groups, the government had beefed up security in Kathmandu to coincide with the Mahashivaratri festival. Earlier, the government had asked local administrations in the border areas to check the inflow of Indian Sadhus visiting Nepal after receiving credible information that some Hindu fundamentalists were planning to bring in over 30,000 Shiva Sena activists in the guise of Sadhus for joining in rallies demanding a Hindu kingdom. http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=100948 I had not known about the ban on political parties before. Interesting democracy, yes?
Participants in the rally organized by the Nepal chapter of the World Hindu Federation (WHF) chanted slogans against the House declaration of May last year converting Nepal from the Hindu Kingdom to a secular state. They also demanded a ban on cow slaughter.
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