Nepal should have continued as 'Hindu state'

New Delhi, May 19 (UNI) The Opposition, BJP, today criticised the Nepali Parliament for changing the nomenclature of the country from a 'Hindu state' to a 'secular state'.

The Nepali Parliament should have retained the Hindu characteristic of the country, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra said, adding it had been done following pressure from Maoists.

He said there had been many Islamic countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan. But none objected to they being Islamic state.

Indonesia had a big chunk of Hindu population yet it was an Islamic country, while in the case of Nepal, Maoists objected to the country being called a Hindu state, he said.

Mr Malhotra, however, clarified that the party was in favour of freedom for all religions and the word Hindu in context to Nepal should not have been seen as if the state was not secular.

He said India was secular because of Hindu majority. Had it been not so, it would have been another Islamic state, he added.

UNI KAS RL HT1700