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By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel

The suffering of Nepalis has persisted for many years. Initially, the oppressive Rana regime institutionalized injustice and inequality, causing widespread hardship. This was succeeded by a monarchy that offered little respite, with the rights of the people continually suppressed under various pretexts. Dissenters, including politicians who dared to challenge the monarchy, were frequently imprisoned. Although Nepal transitioned to a more liberal political landscape after the monarchy’s end, politicians often misled the innocent populace with grandiose promises that led nowhere. Recently, a new and grave challenge has arisen—escalating communal violence in several eastern districts of Madhesh province, which threatens to destabilize social harmony and peace.

In 2019, the tension flared up between Hindus and Muslims during a festival in Rautahat district. The groups from both communities resorted to violence, hooliganism and vandalism, damaging property worth thousands. The local administration intervened, and the communal dispute subsided. A similar horrific tragedy was witnessed in Sarlahi in September 2020. The dispute started over the Bishwakarma idol immersion in Malangwa, resulting in stone pelting and vandalism. After the local administration’s intervention, the situation was brought under control.

The birthplace of Goddess Sita—Janakpur Dham—also witnessed a clash in November 2021. The highly placed media report said some anti-social elements intervened in the Chhath pooja, distorting the social harmony. Three years later, in April 2024, violence erupted during Ram Nawami rallies, injuring many people in the Biratnagar metropolis and Sunsari district. 

Last year in October, tension escalated after a mixed-communities fight over the idol immersion in Dhanuha district. The media reports said that the idol immersion procession passing through the mixed community sparked stone pelting, vandalism and arson, damaging private property worth millions. The situation forced the local administration to intervene, imposing a prohibitive order to bring life back to normalcy. Six months ago, in April, the Parsa district administration had to issue a prohibitory order in the metropolis region of Birgunj after a Hanuman Jayanti procession escalated into stone pelting between Hindu and Muslim groups. In July of the same year, the eve of Muharram turned tense on the streets of Aadarshnagar.

Lately, various reports suggested mosque demolition in Dhanusha in early January 2026 by some miscreants. This led to significant communal tension and protest. The curfew was imposed by the local administration to ensure the safety of the people. A week later, the Birgunj metropolis witnessed significant tension and protest. The highly placed report said that some mob, in response to the mosque demolition in Dhanusha, took to the street, resorting to violence, arson and vandalism.

Amidst this paradoxical stage, one primary question is raised: is this our internal weakness in the management of diverse sentiments disarraying peace and social harmony, or is some external force involved in trying to destabilize the long-standing social cohesion? This needs a convincing explanation.

Post 1990, peace has always remained elusive in the country. During the decade-long armed hostility, the people, mainly in rural and far-flung areas, were living under constant threat and fear, distorting their mental peace and social harmony. They were either questioned by the security personnel or former rebels for allegedly spying on them. In plain words, they were living with a double-edged sword. Many left their ancestral place for the district headquarters or other areas in pursuit of peace and harmony. No doubt, the decade-long conflict has come to an end with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2006. But our pursuit for peace and social harmony continues even decades after the CPA.

What is very strange is the fact that our quest for peace has been hitting us hard at a time when some peace lovers are leaving no stone unturned to make the globe a better place. What is also not understandable is the fact that we harbour hate and venom against each other and instigate people to kill one another in the veil of religion.

At present, not only some peace-loving humans but also a dog have been walking miles to spread the message of peace, kindness and compassion. Aloka, a stray dog based in Kolkata, has crossed miles alongside Buddhist monks. Their only purpose is to spread love, peace, kindness and compassion. While a dog understands the values and significance of peace, we are fighting and killing people in the name of religion. What a pity!

It is very difficult to imagine the overall development of a nation without lasting peace. It is also very difficult to assume that communal violence will not take a nasty shape if required actions are not taken to nip it in the bud in the future. We have already seen enough killings and hatred in the past. Now, we cannot see the country plunge into a cycle of crises in the name of communal violence.

The communal conflict in some eastern districts of the Madhesh Province is uncalled for. It has set a bad precedent. The vandalism, arson and hooliganism destabilizing social harmony and peace are unjustifiable and deplorable. This is completely against our long-standing values that uphold the faith of coexistence in peace and harmony. We should not continue to let this happen as mute spectators.

Today, it is a few districts of the Madhesh province of the country. Tomorrow, it could spread to other provinces. In due course of time, the communal violence could eventually engulf the entire country. The peace and social harmony will be completely in shambles because of communal violence. What a classic case of irony. Nepal—birthplace of Buddha, which represents peace and compassion—will become an epicenter of communal violence if we continue to ignore it under one pretext or another.