Nepal is going through the most tumultuous period in its history. The writing of the new Constitution will only be a small step towards producing a stable country. While there is no disagreement over the issue of state restructuring itself, challenging spin-offs stemming from a failure to address questions of identity, ethnicity, language, religion, region and culture are emerging as clear fault lines of ‘New Nepal.’ Security sector governance, the structure of the political system and the relations between various organs of the state are yet to be determined, while law and order, supply of daily essentials, and immediate economic relief to the rural hinterlands is already testing the patience of the people. Political parties are once again resorting to the old addiction of forming and dismantling governments, knowing well that this will be disastrous the nascent democracy. A chaotic Nepal will also be a headache for both India and China. This book reflects the nature of the enormous challenges before Nepal and the exceptionally important discussion on how to resolve these problems and move ahead.

Secularism: Onset of Religious Conflict?

Secularism: Onset of Religious Conflict?

Secularism: Onset of religious conflict?

In the real sense of the term, secularism means showing equal respect to all forms of worship (sarva pantha samadhar) also (sarva dhamma sambhava) and the state treating all its subjects equally without patronizing those professing a certain form of worship. It is simply the constitutional or legal separation of state with religion not “anti-religion.” Dr S. Radhakrishan explains it lucidly, “Secularism does not mean irreligion or atheism, or even stress on material comforts. It lays stress on universality of spiritual values which maybe attained by a variety of ways.”1 Secularism, therefore, is not a situation where the state turns its back on religion nor does it mean that the state turns a blind eye when ...

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