KATHMANDU, Aug. 21 – The Buddhist community backed by various religious and Janajati organisations have begun a hunger strike in Ratnapark, Kathmandu, from Tuesday demanding that they be allowed to install an idol of Gautam Buddha at Kakrebihar in Surkhet.
Photo: www.thehindu.com
The fast-unto-death is being staged by members of Surkhet Kankrebihar Buddha Idol Installment Joint Committee and it would continue till August 25.
The Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin) is leading the agitation with the backing of several Buddhist and Janajati organisations. Nefin Chairman Nagendra Kumal said the stir is to ensure that the Buddhist community get and equal treatment. “It’s very unfortunate that the Buddhist community is compelled to take such an extreme resort just to install an idol in the country where Buddha was born. However, we have decided to take our campaign peacefully,” said Nagendra Kumal. “We will come up with another stern protest if the government fails to address our concern.” Earlier in May, various Buddhist organisations and indigenous communities had tried to install a Buddha statue in Kakrebihar on the occasion of the 2557th birth anniversary of Buddha, only to be thwarted by the locals and police.
Coordinator of the committee, Jikdol Sherpa aka Phupu Chhembe Sherpa, said the government should guarantee that the Buddhist followers would not be misbehaved in the days ahead.
Narbu Sherpa, who is on hunger strike, complained that the government insulted the Buddha followers by not allowing them to install the idol of Buddha.
The committee also demanded that the local administration apologise to the Buddhists who were manhandled by police and that the Kakrebihar Conservation Development Trust be formed immediately.