Headlines
Nepal as Hindu nation proposal rejected
Kathmandu, Sep 14
Nepali lawmakers on Monday
rejected a proposal to restore the Hindu character of the Himalayan
nation with the Constituent Assembly (CA) firmly plumping for secularism
that was adopted seven years ago.
The 601-member CA -- tasked
with framing the country's new constitution -- voted clause-by-clause on
individual articles of the proposed constitution and ensured that its
secular character -- adopted in May 2008 by the world's once-only-Hindu
kingdom -- was retained, the Himalayan Times reported.
Kamal
Thapa, chairman of the pro-monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal
and Rastriya Prajatantra Party's Amrit Bohora had demanded that
secularism be removed from the constitution and the Hindu state
character be restored instead.
After CA Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang rejected the twin-RPP proposal, Kamal Thapa demanded voting.
Thapa's
proposal for a vote received the support of only 21 lawmakers in the
601-seat Constituent Assembly. CA rules require that at least 61 members
approve a proposal for voting.