KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Thapa has revealed that, during the Constitution drafting process, he was of the opinion that the term ‘secularism’ should not be explicitly included in the Constitution.
Speaking at a program in Kathmandu on Thursday, Thapa stated that certain compromises were made during the drafting process.
“While drafting the Constitution, my view was that the word ‘secularism’ should not be included; instead, the Constitution should enshrine religious freedom,” Thapa said.
“I was a member of the drafting committee, and that was my written opinion. Nepal is a country with religious freedom, where people of different faiths live together. That should have been the spirit. However, this became a point of contention, and eventually, a compromise was reached.”
He clarified, however, that there were no compromises on core principles. “We made compromises on several issues while drafting the Constitution,” Thapa acknowledged, “but we did not compromise on fundamental values.”
Thapa further emphasized that the current federal democratic system was the result of deep understanding and collective decision-making.
“This federal democratic system was established through extensive consultation and mutual understanding,” he said. “But let us not forget—the Constitution was not written by the Nepali Congress alone.”
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