ICC Note:
When Nepal declared itself to be a secular democracy in 2015, many Christians felt that religious freedom had been achieved. Unfortunately, the activities of Hindu radicals operating in Nepal have influenced the government to adopt a clause in its constitution that makes religious conversion illegal. Also, the prosecution of Christians caught evangelizing or praying over non-Christians has surfaced as another affront to religious freedom in Nepal. With this series of anti-Christian events, Christians have been forced to fight for religious freedom in “secular” Nepal. 
01/17/2017 Nepal (Gospel Herald) – The fight for religious freedom in Nepal is like a tug-of-war where victory takes it one step forward, only to be countered by a setback that takes it one step backward.
Christians in Nepal are contending for their rights to live out their faith without being discriminated against. But when they think they have achieved a breakthrough, Hindu extremists appear on the scene and throw them into a setback, Mission Network News reported.
In 2007, Nepal was declared as a secular state. In 2015, a new constitution was introduced, which contained provisions allowing the freedom to practice one’s religion.
Although there are laws that supposedly protect religious freedom, reality has a different face, according to C.B. Gahatraj, General Secretary of the Federation of National Christians in Nepal or FNCN.
One instance where Christian persecution could be seen was when Christmas was removed from the list of national holidays in early 2016.
Christmas was declared as a national holiday when Nepal became a secular state. However, in early 2016, the government decided to exclude it from the calendar of national celebrations.
We are forced to take such a decision not to hurt Christians but to control the rising number of public holidays,” Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Basnet said, assuring the public that they will allow Christians working in government to take a leave of absence.
Gahatraj said the move was a suppression of Christians’ rights, adding that it could have been influenced by “anti-Christian tendencies.”
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