Hindu Parishad in Nepal accuses Oli of hobnobbing with China and Pakistan.
Raxaul: The entire Madhesh area in Nepal is witnessing widespread protests against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli for the latter’s controversial remark over Lord Ram and Ayodhya. The Hindu Parishad in Nepal has accused Oli of hobnobbing with China and Pakistan and trying to stir poison in the “sweet relations between India and Nepal that has existed for centuries.” Effigies of the Prime Minister were burnt in several parts of Madhesh and there were slogans against Oli. People from different age groups and cross sections converged at various places, shouting slogans and burning effigies of Oli.
The Hindu Parishad of Nepal has threatened a mass stir across Nepal if Oli does not apologise for his statement. The president of Hindu Parishad of Nepal, Santosh Patel, condemned the remarks of the Prime Minister and accused him of doing this to please China and Pakistan. Talking to media, he said, “Our Prime Minister has hurt the sentiments of 94% Hindus in Nepal and he is doing this at the behest of China. We will not take this lying down low and we will step up the agitation across the country. It has badly hurt Hindu sentiments. Lord Ram is worshipped by millions of Hindus in both the countries and such remarks have caused us much pain. He must apologise.” Sentiments were the same all across Janakpur Dham, the birthplace of Mata Sita. People here are not ready to buy the statement of Oli that Ram was not born in Ayoudhya, but in Thori area of Parsa. For ages now, the people of Janakpur, which forms a very important part of the Ramayan circuit, have been giving a warm welcome to the Baraat which comes every year from Ayodhya on the occasion of Vivah Panchami . Every year during Vivah Panchami, marriage of Lord Ram and Sita is solemnized and people in lakhs from the two countries participate in it. In fact, Janakpur is revered as one of the most important religious places for Hindus in India and Nepal alike. In May 2018, Prime minister Narendra Modi had paid a visit to Janakpur and paid a visit to Mata Janki Mandir. A warm welcome was given to Modi and an unprecedented crowd had gathered at the Barbigha ground in Nepal to listen to the Indian prime minister. On the sidelights of the prime minister’s speech at that time, it was being discussed in the crowd about who was the prime minister of Nepal—Oli or Modi. Such was the support for PM Modi. The Prime Minister had even flagged off a direct bus service from Janakpur to Ayodhya and at that point in time, people of Nepal had thanked PM Modi for the effort as lakhs of devotees from Nepal keep thronging to Ayodhya.
It’s not just the people in Madhesh area or the Hindu Parishad of Nepal that has now started protesting against Oli’s remarks. Several MPs of Nepal have condemned Oli’s statement on Ram and Ayodhya and are saying that Oli can’t ever succeed in driving a wedge between the two countries at the behest of China.
Congress MP from Beerganj Parsa in Nepal Ajay Chaurasia said, “For ages, Bharat and Nepal have lived in perfect harmony and there has been much cultural and religious as well as economic give-and-take between the two countries. For ages now, people from India have been coming to Janakpur for worship of Mata Sita and people from Nepal have been going to Ayodhya for worship of Lord Ram. Oli’s remark has hurt the sentiments of millions of Hindus living in the two countries.” The Hindu Parishad of Nepal has threatened to step up the agitation if Oli does not retract and apologise for his statement.