Rastrabadi Muslim Manch in favour Nepal as a Hindu state [Is it connected to Muslim Rashtriya Manch of the RSS?]

Banke Muslims for secularism

- Post Report

KATHMANDU, AUG 12 - The Muslim community in Banke district has refuted claims made by some members of their community who, according to recent media reports, had stated that Nepal should be a Hindu nation and that a majority of Islam followers adhered to that view.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the Banke Muslim Community said that they are in favour of secularism. The community also demanded that the new constitution should ensure the rights of every religion by adopting secularism. Meanwhile, Nepali Congress lawmaker Abdul Hamid Siddiqui said that it was wrong to declare that more than 80 percent Muslims in Nepalgunj wanted a Hindu state.

“Of course people can have individual views, but you can’t go about making such claims. This has angered religious leaders from the community,” he said.

UML lawmaker Junaid Ansari, who is also the general secretary of Nepal Ettihad Association, said that individual remarks should not be confused with institutional stance.

“Anyone is entitled to have individual view about religion, but institutionally Muslims across the country are in favour of a secular state,” he said.

A recent news report had quoted some of the members of the Nepalgunj-based Rastrabadi Muslim Manch claiming that 80 percent of the Muslims in Nepalgunj were in favour of seeing Nepal as a Hindu state.

Posted on: 2015-08-12 08:29

Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2015/08/12/national/banke-muslims-for-secularism/409324.html