Everywhere in the world it is the same: demands for “rights,” leading to an increasingly separate cultural and political identity, demands for accommodation of Sharia, and inevitably, increasing conflict.
“Muslims demand separate identity in new constitution,” from the Himalayan News Service, April 16 (thanks to Twostellas):
NEPALGUNJ: Muslim priests today announced protest programmes demanding constitutional identity and ensuring their rights in the new statute.
In a press meet, Maulan Jabbar Manjari, central vice chairman, Nepal Itihad Sangh and Muslim Priests, said that people of Muslim community from all the political parties have agreed to detach the Muslim community from the Madhesi list.
The Muslim community have demanded not to incorporate them in Madhesi community under any condition.
Similarly, the national chairman of Nepal Madrassa Council, Maulan Mansur Arafi demanded the Muslim community should be enlisted in a separate list in the new constitution, adding, “We should have separate constitutional identity and all Muslim organisations are united in their demand.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Federation of Madrassa Islamic Mutafi Liyakat Ali Khan warned that their protest would continue until the CA ensured the constitutional identity to the Muslim community.
Former central member of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Mohammad Harun Maulan said that all Muslims will take part in the protest programme, adding, “Our protest will end only after achieving our goals.”
Maulan Kalim, chairman, Madarasha Islamiya Association, Banke, opined that it is worthless to talk about other things until their identity is ensured in the new constitution.
Bajruduja Khan, district secretary, Madheshi Janadhikar Forum, opined that there should be representation of the Muslim people on the basis of the population as the population of Muslim people is high in Madhes region.
The Muslim community has announced various protest programmes starting from April 20 to April 26 across the nation. They have also warned of intensifying their protest if their demands were not addressed at the earliest.