The fight against a Hindu Rashtra in Nepal 01 April 2021
A Hindu activist holding a trident chants slogans during a protest rally in September 2015. The protesters were demanding Nepal be declared a Hindu state in the new constitution. Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
A Hindu activist holding a trident chants slogans during a protest rally in September 2015. The protesters were demanding Nepal be declared a Hindu state in the new constitution. Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
SINCE NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, protests have erupted throughout Nepal, including in the cities of Butwal, Biratnagar, Dhangadhi, Pokhara, Janakpur and Kathmandu. While civil and political protests are a strong and regular feature of Nepali politics, these recent developments assume significance because of the coming together of various fringe groups on two broad demands: the restoration of the monarchy and the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra. These demands are not novel the country has