Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal has sent a diplomatic note to the US, stating that claims made in the US government’s latest International Religious Freedom Report are baseless.
“Since Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself has made an opinion about the report, we have sent a diplomatic note to the US on that very basis,” Sewa Lamsal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Himalpress, “We are hopeful of getting a response on what basis the accusations were made in the report.”
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was dissatisfied with Nepal for not sending a diplomatic note to the US regarding the report. Additionally, India had exerted pressure on Nepal to thoroughly examine the report and bring it to the attention of the US government.
Responding to queries raised by lawmakers, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal addressed the House of Representatives on Saturday, stating that Nepal has taken note of the report and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a diplomatic note to the US government through the Nepali embassy in Kathmandu.
The controversial report alleged that India’s BJP had provided monetary assistance to Nepali leaders, urging them to advocate for a Hindu state. The report cited testimonies from civil society leaders and claimed that, except for the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), political parties were not raising the issue of a Hindu state.
The report further asserted that BJP leaders and religious groups in India were pressuring Nepali leaders, particularly those from the RPP, to reinstate Nepal as a Hindu state. It claimed to have based its findings on various studies and news reports.
The US Embassy in Kathmandu has clarified that the report was drafted based on information received from government officials, religious groups, NGOs, journalists, rights activists, academicians, media outlets, and other sources.
Earlier, the RPP had sent a letter to the US Embassy in Kathmandu expressing its objections to the report.
The report was unveiled by the US Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken on May 15. India had expressed objection to the report right after it was released.
