KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai’s secretariat has accused certain individuals and groups of deliberately portraying him as anti-Hindu and spreading misleading content on social media, warning that such activities could fuel religious hatred and social division.
Issuing a statement on Monday, Bhattarai’s secretariat said he had recently been subjected to threats and called on the government to investigate those responsible and take action in accordance with the law.
The secretariat alleged that certain individuals and groups were using the religious beliefs of the majority Hindu population for political purposes. It said old videos and statements were being edited or taken out of context, while misleading images and posters were being created and circulated on social media to spread religious hatred and deepen social divisions.
It appealed to the public to be cautious about distorted, threatening and hateful content that could undermine religious and social harmony. It also urged the government to closely monitor the individuals, groups and social media accounts involved, conduct necessary investigations and take legal action.
The secretariat also clarified that secularism does not mean opposition to any religion. It said secularism requires the state to treat all religions and beliefs equally while guaranteeing every citizen the freedom to practise, hold or reject a religion.
It further argued that believing in science, adopting a scientific outlook or identifying as an atheist falls within an individual’s freedom of thought and should not be portrayed as hostility toward any religion or religious community.
The secretariat expressed concern that some Hindu groups were allegedly using ongoing debates over the caste system, caste discrimination and social inequality within Hindu society for what it called biased propaganda.
It said questioning social practices within any religion, culture or tradition, engaging in critical debate and advocating reform are natural aspects of a democratic society. It added that portraying discussions centred on social justice and equality as hatred toward a religion or religious community amounted to a distortion of the facts.
Comment