Kathmandu, 17 February (HS). The demand to make the country a Hindu nation again has gained momentum within the Nepali Congress. In the Central Working Committee meeting of Nepali Congress, 26 MPs and other leaders of the party raised this issue strongly. There are strong chances that this issue will dominate the party's General Committee meeting starting next week.
During the Central Working Committee meeting of Nepali Congress, more than two dozen officials have demanded to make the demand of re-declaring the country as a Hindu nation the main issue of the party. Party officials also conducted a signature campaign in this regard among other officials. Led by party leader Shankar Bhandari, 26 MPs and Central Working Committee members raised the issue with national president Sherbahadur Deuba and demanded to include it in the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the party general committee.
In the Central Working Committee meeting, Shankar Bhandari said that while respecting the sentiments of the people, the party should make this issue a major issue. Bhandari said that party president Deuba has not said anything on this subject at present but he has accepted the proposal related to it. This gives confidence that this topic will definitely be included in the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the General Committee.
Former Deputy Speaker and Congress MP Pushpa Bhushal, who appeared in favor of the Hindu Rashtra campaign, said that a few months ago the party president himself had said in a public program that the party could consider the issue of Hindu Rashtra. Bhushal claims that there will be a detailed discussion on this issue in the party's General Committee meeting starting next week.
It is noteworthy that Nepali Congress is the largest political party in the country. The party has 88 members in the 275-member House of Representatives of the Nepali Parliament and 16 members in the 59-member National Assembly.