By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel

Karl Marx once said, “Religion is the opium of the people.” According to him, it is a sign of an oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world and the soul of our soulless world. Overall, Marx is speaking not as a man of faith but as a secular humanist. He suggested that religion can be used as a tool by the ruling class to maintain social control by placating the masses and preventing them from revolutionising against them. However, the existing situation in the Madhesh Province of the country offers a contrasting case. In some districts of the province, people with different faiths and beliefs are fighting each other, destabilising social harmony. This does not bode well for a country which has a rich history of practising peace amongst multi-religious and multi-ethnic people.

Just recently, Birgunj Metropolitan City of Madhesh Province hogged the media limelight. From local vernaculars to national mainstream dailies, the Birgunj Metropolitan was at the centre stage of their news and reports. The reason: It witnessed the worst communal riots in the history of Nepali civilisation.

On April 12 the tension erupted in Birgunj during the Hanuman Jayanti procession as a result of a clash between two communities. The people from the two communities clashed with each other, leading to stone pelting and arson. Several people were injured, property worth thousands was vandalised and vehicles were ablaze. After the situation turned worse, the district administration swiftly took action, imposing a curfew to bring the situation into normalcy. Now, life in Birgunj metropolitan city is turning normal.

This was not the first time we have witnessed such horrific communal violence in Madhesh Province. Just last year in February, the district administration in Rautahat district imposed a curfew after the clash between two communities gripped the Ishanth Municipality. A large number of people were injured. There was stone pelting, arson, properties vandalised and vehicles were torched. After the two sides held talks under the coordination of the local unit and reached an agreement to respect each other’s religion, life turned normal in the municipality.

How will we justify such growing communal violence across the country? Why is such horrific violence becoming a regular phenomenon? What is triggering such violence? I leave it to the experts par excellence to provide a convincing explanation.

Every religion across the globe imparts a lesson among its followers to practice peace and harmony. It guides the people to spread love, respecting other’s beliefs and faith. Similarly, it tells the people to help each other in the crisis time. On the contrary, the religion in Nepal has been misused by some anti-elements to create disharmony in the society. They play with the sentiments of the people, instigating them to resort to communal violence, fuelling hatred and animosity in the community. What is even worse is the fact that people fall prey to the design of such anti-social elements, losing their critical thinking and engaging in communal riots and violence.

It is an understandable fact that no religion across the globe teaches to spread hate and animosity. However, some antisocial elements define the religion for their personal advantage. They intend to destabilise society by spreading hate and anger. We should be careful about what they say and what is present.

What is very strange and surprising is to witness such communal violence in a country which has the reputation of being a very harmonious society. It is also very disheartening to witness growing cases of communal violence in the country. While the entire globe is talking about artificial intelligence and rocket science, we are fighting each other in the name of religion. What a pity.

After the end of the decade-long conflict with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2006, we expected sustainable development and lasting peace. We expected that the country would march towards economic growth and Nepal would become a prosperous state. Sadly, this was too much to ask for.

In Madhesh Provinces, the people follow the religion blindly. They obey dogmas and faith without rationalising them. Through this piece, this pen pusher is not advocating that one should not believe in religious faith and practice. My submission is that people should use their rational thinking and contribute to preaching peace and harmony rather than creating disharmony and sowing the seeds of communal hatred in the name of religion.

It seems we are disregarding this emerging violence, which could take a nasty shape if left unchecked. At present, it is impacting some districts of Madhesh Province. However, if left unattended, it could spread like wildfire, disturbing the long-standing peace and social harmony in the country. Corruption, poverty, unemployment and abuse of authority are already the pressing challenges the country is facing. The country cannot afford to witness another act of violence. This time in the name of religion.

A pertinent question is raised in every discussion across the country: “Will Nepal become a country where people with different religions become hostile against each other?" We need to hold our leaders accountable if such a situation emerges in Nepal, as they are the ones to sow the seeds of hatred among the people.

While the nation is witnessing pro-monarch agitation across the country, we can say that we are on the cusp of the beginning of new violence in the name of religion. Let’s pray that such communal violence does not occur in future. We should not disregard such violence to ensure peace and social harmony in society.