Changing demography and demands of Sharia: Growing Islamism becoming a security concern in Nepal, says Kapilvastu MP

There have been several reports in the recent past highlighting the rapidly changing demography in the sections of India near the Indo-Nepal border. The number of mosques and madrasas is constantly increasing. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited Nepal areas bordering India to take an account of the ground situation on that side of the border. This is the 23rd report in a series of articles documenting the facts discovered by the OpIndia team.

The OpIndia team also spoke to Abhishek Pratap Shah, MP from Kapilvastu in Nepal, on the demography changes noticed in the Dong and Kapilvastu districts of Nepal. The situations on the other side of the fence are not much different.

Changing demography

MP Abhishek Pratap Shah agreed that there is a massive increase in Islamic activities in the border area as well as in the interior of Nepal. He appealed to the Government of India to pay attention to this issue. He said that India and Nepal were separated overnight in 1923 by the British rulers with people living on either side of the border – in a balanced demographic situation in those days – continuing to practice their respective faiths. Off late, the demography in the border areas of Nepal is seeing a rapid change.

Abhishek Pratap Shah further said while the Muslim population has increased exponentially in recent decades, the population of Hindus is declining. He said that nobody in Nepal realized it initially, but now, when everything is crystal clear, everyone is suddenly concerned about this problem.

Some unscrupulous Muslim elements in Nepal, according to MP Shah, have committed crimes in order to make more money. He asserted that if data from the border areas of Nepal and India is acquired, 90% of illegal drug traffickers will be Muslim.

Muslim population doubled in the last 20 years

According to Nepal’s MP Abhishek Pratap Shah, in the last 20 years, the Muslim population in Nepal has doubled from 4.5% to 9% and it may double to 18% in the next 20 years. Moreover, demographic change is a phenomenon not limited to the Indo-Nepal border regions only, but the demographics in the hilly regions of Nepal are also changing very rapidly. Shah said that the people dwelling in the remote mountains of Nepal are so naive that they fall prey to the nice deceptive talks of Islamists. No wonder, the number of cases of love jihad in Nepal is also on the rise like never before.

The problem of Rohingya Muslims

While shedding some light on the problem of Rohingya Muslims, Abhishek Pratap Shah told OpIndia, “A large number of Rohingyas have infiltrated the northern areas of Nepal. This infiltration took place because the appearance of Rohingyas is slightly similar to the residents of northern Nepal.”

There was once only one mosque in Kathmandu; now there are 12

He also expressed his concern about the increasing number of mosques in Kathmandu – the capital city of Nepal. He said, “The situation in Nepal is sounding an alarm of caution for us. Once there used to be only 1 mosque in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, today there are 12 mosques in the same city. All these mosques are being built in the name of Sunni and sometimes Wahabi Islam.”

He added, “Even though Nepal is called a poor country, Muslims here invest their zakat money in mosques and madrasas. Money is also poured in from abroad for these mosques. Nepal’s mosques and madrasas are flourishing because of this money.”

The reflections of this problem in Nepal’s politics and social harmony

The reflection of changing demography appeared in Nepal’s policy and government as well. MP Abhishek Pratap Shah told that 7 years ago, when a new constitution of Nepal was being drafted, Muslims in Nepal had asked for a Sharia law for themselves and every Muslim member of parliament supported this demand irrespective of their parties and differences. The Nepali parliament houses 260 seats. 20 of the people’s representatives are Muslims. A few of these 20 are women MPs. At present, many Muslims are active in Nepal’s central and regional politics. The government also passes a budget for Muslims. Along with this, grants are also released for madrasas.

Abhishek Pratap Shah said, “Right now many people of Nepal are ignoring all the things, but when a situation like France will be created here, then everyone will understand. The French are funloving people who lead their lives peacefully. But, they did not realize that this day would ever come. There is a Hindu-Muslim dispute in my constituency almost every year, in which many times a conspiracy has been hatched to trap me too.”

Explaining more about the modus operandi of the crimes in his constituency, he said, “The riots in Kapilvastu every year are planned by the Leftists, but they are executed by the Islamists. Islamist criminals who earn money from crimes like smuggling etc. are also set free because they bribe the Nepali administration with some money. A case is registered against the person who demands action against the accused after the riots.”

The Anti-India Communist Manifesto active in Nepal

Nepal being a buffer state between democratic India and communist China, Abhishek Pratap Shah emphasized the role of communists in attempts to destabilize Dharma. He said, “Every leftist in the world including the Communists of Nepal is against Hinduism. The agenda of finishing the Hindu nation and the king of Nepal was of the Nepali Leftists. Almost every anti-India conspiracy from Nepal is planned by the Left here. Illegal money from Pakistan is being used in activities like conversion, but both China and Pakistan have already joined hands against India.”

Analyzing the reasons behind these anti-India conspiracies, he said, “Nepal’s army fought on behalf of the British, due to which the British used to give them extra respect. Because of this, the former rulers of Nepal considered themselves equal to the British, and in their view, Indians remained their slaves. Somewhere that thinking was fuelled here in Nepal and that is why anti-India sentiments flared up in the minds of many Nepalis.”

The Lipulekh dispute explained

Explaining the Lipulekh border dispute, MP Abhishek Pratap Shah said that the dispute was deliberately created by Nepalese Prime Minister Oli. Abhishek Shah said that the controversy’s timing was fixed when Article 370 was removed in India. According to Shah, KP Oli was assured that if the situation worsens from the Indian side, Chinese troops will be sent to help Nepal. According to Shah, the arrival of Article 370 has dealt a blow to China’s CPEC project.

Abhishek Pratap Shah lashed out at the communist approach to the issue of poverty. He said, “The Left is taking advantage of Nepal’s poverty and this is the way Communists always think. Communists were also behind India’s Shaheen Bagh because communists have always been against India. Leave aside Nepal, these communists are capable of choking a country like India.”

“Nepal is going to have elections once again in November 2022 and this time we pro-India activists will defeat Oli’s Left party in these elections,” Shah said.

ISI and increased criminal activities

Shah told that criminals like Mirza Dilshad Baig, who came inside Nepal from the Deoria district in India, made their hideouts in Nepal. Initially, outsiders came to Nepal on business, etc., and later settled more people. This was a big reason behind the current situation. He said, “Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has been active in Nepal for a long time. ISI not only promotes cross-border terrorism but is also running illicit businesses like fake currency notes.”

Expectations from the Government of India

Abhishek Pratap Shah expressed more cooperation from the Government of India. He said, “The Indian government needs to pay special attention to Nepal because now European countries and America have perhaps become Delhi’s priority. Even though European countries are beneficial to India from a business point of view, Nepal is important for India from the point of view of security. An atmosphere is being created in Nepal under a well-planned anti-India conspiracy.”

MP Shah demanded the formation of a joint patrolling team of the two countries for security and said that he has raised this demand in Delhi too. According to Shah, due to the open borders, any criminal can easily escape by committing a crime anywhere in the two countries and due to the absence of an extradition treaty, there is a lot of difficulty in catching the culprit later. According to Shah, these forces should be authorized up to 20 km of the border and if this happens then a lot can be improved in the border areas.

Yogi Adityanath is also popular in Nepal

Abhishek Shah praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, describing him as the most serious person toward India’s Nepal interests. He said that since the formation of the Yogi government in UP, the UP Police immediately catches the criminals crossing the border from Nepal. Shah believes that relations between India and Nepal have improved significantly after Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister as most of Nepal’s border is with UP. According to the MP, the pro-India people here want to see Yogi as the Prime Minister after PM Modi and after that, the relations between the two countries will be strengthened further.

Looking forward to the Hindu nation’

“Nepal is going to have elections once again in November 2022 and this time we will defeat Oli’s Left party in pro-India elections,” Shah said. On the possibility of Nepal becoming a Hindu nation again, MP Abhishek Pratap Shah said, “Even today cow is our national animal and despite all the opposition, no one knows if we will be able to make this country a Hindu nation again. We also want India and Nepal to become Hindu Rashtra together.”

A creeping Islamisation of Nepal and its border areas appears to be underway, with Islamists steadily establishing their foothold in distant villages, including those on the Indian border. In the first four parts of this series, OpIndia documented the demography change ongoing in Nepal, as well as the worrying surge in the number of mosques and madrasas in the Himalayan nation’s border villages. Additionally, we also spoke about the rising incidents of love jihad in Nepal, as well as its Delhi connection and smuggling, and various other notorious activities that are going on along India’s border with Nepal.

The first report in this series can be read here in Hindi: कभी था हिंदू बहुल गाँव, अब स्वस्तिक चिह्न वाले घर पर 786 का निशान: भारत के उस पार भी डेमोग्राफी चेंज, नेपाल में घुसते ही मस्जिद, मदरसा और इस्लाम – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Demographic change hits other side of the border too, Mosques and Madarasas mushroom in former Hindu dominated areas in Nepal: Ground report

The second report in this series can be read here in Hindi: घरों पर चाँद-तारे वाले हरे झंडे, मस्जिद-मदरसे, कारोबार में भी दखल: मुस्लिम आबादी बढ़ने के साथ ही नेपाल में कपिलवस्तु के ‘कृष्णा नगर’ पर गाढ़ा हुआ इस्लामी रंग – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Islamic flags flying atop houses and mosques, madarsas influencing businesses: The creeping Islamisation of Nepal’s Krishnanagar

The third report in this series can be read here in Hindi: नेपाल में लव जिहाद: बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी और नेपाली लड़कियों से निकाह के खेल में ‘दिल्ली कनेक्शन’, तस्कर-गिरोह भारतीय सीमा पर खतरा – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Rising cases of love jihad in Nepal and its Delhi connection, smuggling plaguing India’s border with Nepal: Ground report

The fourth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध आस्था के केंद्र हों या तालाब… हर जगह मजार: श्रावस्ती में घरों की छत पर लहरा रहे इस्लामी झंडे, OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Steady rise in mazars and madarsas adjoining Buddhist places of worship in UP’s Shravasti near Indo-Nepal border: Ground report

The fifth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: महाराणा प्रताप के साथ लड़ी थारू जनजाति बहुल गाँव में 3 मस्जिद, 1 मदरसा: भारत-नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी का ये है ‘पैटर्न’ – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Rising number of mosques, madarsa along Indo-Nepal border: Ground report on Islamisation of village of Tharu tribe that fought along Maharana Pratap

The sixth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध-जैन मंदिरों के बीच दरगाह बनाई, जिस मजार को पुलिस ने किया ध्वस्त… वो फिर चकमकाई: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Dargah and mazar built around Buddhist and Jain temple premises, illegal mazar once demolished surfaces again: UP’s Shravasti near Nepal border