[Translation] Yunnan University lecture on: Rebuilding a Hindu Nation? -- Evolution and Challenges of Secularism in Nepal

Article published on May 14, 2024 at Yunnan University Nepal Research Center

This event happened on May 10, 2024, at Yunnan University Nepal Research Center in Kunming, China. The guest speaker was Professor He Chaorong from the School of Foreign Languages of the National University of Defense Technology and vice-president of the China Society of South Asian Languages and Director of China Society of South Asia.

Original title: South Asian Department, School of Foreign Languages, Yunnan University invited Professor He Chaorong of the National University of Defense Technology to give a lecture: Rebuilding a Hindu Nation? ——Evolution and Challenges of Secularism in Nepal

On May 10, 2024, the second lecture of the Yunnan University Foreign Languages and Literature Innovation and Development Lecture " Rebuilding a Hindu Nation? ——Evolution and Challenges of Secularism in Nepal " was successfully held in Wenhui Building 3104. This lecture was delivered by Professor He Chaorong, professor and doctoral supervisor of the School of Foreign Languages, National University of Defense Technology, vice president of the China Society of South Asian Languages, and director of the China Society of South Asia. Professor Wang Zong, professor of the School of Foreign Languages of Yunnan University and director of the Nepali Studies Center of Yunnan University, hosted the lecture.

All students from the Nepali language major of the School of Foreign Languages of Yunnan University, students from the Tibetan cadre training class, and some teachers and students from the Nepali language major of Yunnan Minzu University attended the lecture.

Professor He Chaorong took Nepal's "Return to Monarchy" demonstration movement as an entry point to introduce Nepal's transformation from a Hindu country to a secular country and analyzed the challenges faced by Nepal's secularism and the internal and external factors that caused its crisis of secularism. He believes that if Nepal returns to being a Hindu country, it will most likely trigger a series of chain reactions, leading to the abolition of secularism and the collapse of federalism and republicanism.

1.     From a Hindu state to a secular state

First, Professor He outlined the transformation of Nepal from a Hindu state to a secular state.

Tracing back through Nepal's history, the dominant position of Hinduism was gradually established through Jayasthiti's religious reforms, the establishment of the Shah dynasty and its "Gorkhalization," the "Civil Code" during the Rana period, and the constitution of the Council period. The 1962 constitution declared Nepal a Hindu monarchy, making it the only country in the world at that time with Hinduism as the state religion.

Subsequently, Professor He explained the concept of secularism and introduced the secularization process in Nepal. Nepal's secularization stemmed from two "People's Movements": in 1990, the first People's Movement overthrew the monarchical dictatorship; in 2006, the second People's Movement restored the parliament, abolished the state religion, and declared Nepal a "secular state."

In 2008, the interim constitutional amendment formally abolished the Hindu monarchy, and secularism was ultimately established in Nepal. The 2015 constitution defined "secular" as "religious and cultural freedom, including the protection of religions and cultures that have been handed down from ancient times," achieving a balance between religious freedom and the protection of "traditional religions and cultures."

1.     Challenges Facing Secularism

Many problems have arisen in the implementation of secularism in Nepal. Within the country, staunch royalist parties such as the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Nepal), formed through a merger in 2020, have repeatedly launched protest marches to restore the Hindu monarchy. Additionally, many dissatisfied individuals have held street protests, such as the "Save the Nation" campaign initiated by medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai, with many right-wing groups also participating in the protests.

At the same time, the secularist camp in Nepal is divided. The "left-wing" factions of the Communist Party strongly oppose the restoration of the monarchy; the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party supports secularism and federalism; factions within the Nepali Congress are divided over the restoration of the Hindu state. The chairman of the Congress, Deuba, has not commented on this issue, but senior party member and former leader B.P. Koirala's son, Shashanka Koirala, has explicitly expressed support for restoring the Hindu state status, indicating a complex and increasingly right-leaning trend within the party; former King Gyanendra has not made any public statements, but has been increasingly active in various cultural events.

3. Internal and External Factors in the Crisis of Secularism

The internal factors contributing to the crisis of secularism primarily include: Nepal's economic downturn causing public discontent; political instability and poor governance since 2008 leading to public disillusionment; and a national identity crisis necessitating a redefinition of identity.

External factors are mainly influenced by India and the West. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the World Hindu Congress have been promoting Hindu nationalist ideologies in Nepal and reaffirming the Hindu state. Their goal is to counteract China's influence in Nepal; the rapid increase in followers of Christianity and other religious forces poses a threat to Hinduism, provoking a reactionary response from Hindu nationalists who pursue the establishment of a Hindu state.

He stated that under the combined influence of internal and external factors, along with the vigorous advocacy by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the leadership of the Nepali Congress might gradually break down the barriers to restoring the Hindu state, potentially triggering a crisis in the republican and federal systems. This would significantly enhance the influence of Hinduism and India in Nepal, interfering with and undermining China-Nepal cooperation, and negatively impacting our [China] country's strategy in South Asia. From the current situation, secularism might also become a political bargaining chip for the Congress Party, making the reconstruction of the Hindu state a political agenda.

This insightful lecture brought by Professor He won rounds of applause from the audience, and the students expressed that they gained a lot from it.

In conclusion, Professor Wang Zong summarized the content of the lecture and, on behalf of the college and the students, expressed gratitude to Professor He. It is hoped that through this lecture, students will not only focus on learning professional knowledge and possess a solid foundation in foreign languages but also continue to pay attention to the changes in Nepal's domestic political situation.

This lecture is one of the Foreign Languages and Literatures Innovative Development Series Lectures in 2024, hosted by the School of Foreign Languages at Yunnan University. The series aims to invite well-known domestic experts and professors to give academic lectures, broaden students' academic horizons, enhance inter-university exchange and cooperation, and increase the visibility of the discipline of Foreign Languages and Literature at Yunnan University.

** The link to the original article can be found here**