Nepal's Hindu Rashtra Demand Persists Despite Secular Status

The demand for a Hindu Rashtra is not new in Nepal. The country became a secular federal democratic republic after the monarchy was abolished in 2008. The constitution defines Nepal as a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious, and multi-cultural nation. Despite this, demands for the restoration of a Hindu Rashtra and monarchy have been raised from time to time. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has long included constitutional monarchy and Hindu Rashtra as its major political issues. In its election manifesto in 2026, the RPP gave prominence to the demand for Nepal to be a Vedic Sanatan Hindu Rashtra and the restoration of monarchy. In June 2026, the party leadership claimed growing public support for these issues. Dr. Bholanath Yogi, Dang district president of Adhiveshwa Hindu Mahasangha, called for cooperation from India and appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the central government to seriously consider the issue. He cited religious, cultural, and socio-religious relations of the two countries and the Roti-Beti relationship, however, India's policy has been to establish a peaceful and prosperous Hindu Republic of Nepal rather than an official constitution or census.