Since Nepal transitioned from a Hindu state to a secular one in 2006, calls for reinstating the Hindu kingdom have grown increasingly vocal. Nearly two decades after its dissolution, Hindu nationalist groups continue to revive its specter, demanding a return to monarchy and Hindu rule. The latest resurgence in 2025 sees the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)—the Hindu Kingdom’s oldest protégé—joining forces with the Nepalese right-wing political activist Durga Prasai. Under the banner of the “Save the Nation, Culture, and Dharma” campaign, they have entered a fervent crusade to restore the monarchy and Hindu state.
Although such demands remained punctuated, fragmented, and occasionally erupted over the years, contemporary Hindu nationalist groups share a common enduring discourse: secularism facilitates religious conversion. Over the past two decades, Hindu nationalist forces at the forefront of the pro-Hindu state movement have worked to rally disorganized Hindus under the banner of “Hindu unity.” Their mobilization is anchored on leveraging the discourse shared by many, including those who opposed the Hindu nationalist project. Despite proving to be a potent rhetorical weapon, this discourse is problematic, warranting critical assessment and dissection.
Dissecting the Christian Conversion Myth
While a range of analysts and anti-secularists have vehemently claimed that secularism has accelerated the growth of Christianity, their data interpretation has remained narrow and selective for decades. Comparative analysis of the Christian population between the Hindu state/kingdom (pre-2006) and secular (post-2006) periods tells a story that is at variance with what anti-secularists tendentiously assert.
Census records trace the growth of Nepal’s Christian population as follows: 1961 (458), 1971 (2,541), 1981 (3,891), 1991 (31,280), 2001 (101,976), 2011 (375,699), and 2021 (512,313). During the peak Hindu kingdom/state period (1971, 1981, 1991, 2001), the Christian population surged dramatically, with growth rates of 454%, 53%, 703%, and 226%, respectively. The most striking increase occurred between 1981 and 1991, soaring by an astonishing 703%.
While the numbers—rising from a mere 458 in 1961 to 512,313 in 2021—may seem dramatic, the reality is that the Christian population grew at a significantly higher rate during the Hindu kingdom period (1962–2006) than in the secular era. This challenges the anti-secularist narrative that secularism has uniquely accelerated Christian expansion in Nepal.
According to the Organiser Magazine, the mouthpiece of India’s powerful paramilitary group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), “the penultimate solution to the evil designs of conversion mafias is Hindu Rashtra,” which is in general echoed by other Hindu nationalist groups and parties like RPP, Shiv Sena, and Hindu Morcha in Nepal.
Hindu nationalism joins the growing list of intangible imports from India to Nepal—alongside the caste system, Hinduism, and Bollywood. The contemporary spread of the Hindu nationalist ideology mirrors the historical import of the oppressive caste system. Both—inherently divisive and destructive—pose a serious threat to Nepal’s socio-political stability.
In India, Hindu nationalism frames Muslims as its primary adversarial ‘other,’ with Christians as a secondary target. In contrast, Nepal’s Hindu nationalist propaganda places the Christian minority as its chief enemy, relegating Muslims to the second position.
To sustain their narrative, anti-secularists manipulate statistical figures, presenting them superficially to incite fear, anxiety, anger, hatred, and alarm against the Christian minority. The active conversion efforts of some missionary organizations in Nepal are undeniable. However, the unprecedented surge in foreign employment after the 2000s offers a compelling explanation for the 268% and 36% increase in the Christian population during the secular period (2011 & 2021). Just as it is claimed that poor Hindu Nepalese migrants adopted Islam while working in Muslim-majority countries, many Nepalese workers were exposed to Christianity abroad, leading to conversions that cannot be attributed solely to Western missionaries.
Demographic Anxiety and Manufactured Panic
Between 2006 and 2014, opposition to secularism centered on recurrent arguments emphasizing a perceived growing threat to the Hindu majority—a narrative that continues to be weaponized today. Religious nationalists actively fabricate demographically and scientifically unfounded claims, portraying minority religious groups as expanding exponentially and on the verge of overtaking the majority population.
Nepal’s Hindu nationalist forces exploit perceived demographic threats, channeling their anxiety over religious conversion into alarmist claims such as “unchecked religious conversion will turn Hindus into a minority,” “Nepal will become a Christian nation,” “Hindus are in danger,” “Hindu monuments will be destroyed,” and “‘Minority’ Hindus won’t be able to worship their gods openly.” These narratives frame Abrahamic religions as existential threats to Hindu identity, justifying efforts to curtail their influence and prevent their expansion.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity’s report, along with other statistical analyses, identified Nepal as having the fastest-growing Christian population, predicting that it would double in size within six and a half years. However, such projections reflect what Hans Rosling calls “the Straight Line Instinct” in his book Factfulness. Rosling argues that most trends follow S-curves, slides, humps, or doubling patterns rather than simple straight lines. Even over a full decade, from 2011 (375,699) to 2021 (512,313), Nepal’s Christian population has not doubled and still constitutes only 1.7% of the total population, challenging alarmist predictions.
Hindu nationalists uphold the caste hierarchy as an intrinsic part of the Hindu Rashtra or Hindu nation. According to the Federation of National Christians Nepal, Dalits make up 65% of Nepal’s Christian population. Historically referred to as ‘the untouchables,’ Dalits occupy the lowest position in South Asia’s complex caste hierarchy and have faced centuries of socioeconomic oppression by privileged castes. Through conversion, those labeled as “lower caste” shed their old identity, breaking free from the caste system and embracing a new, dignified beginning. While conversion disrupts entrenched power structures for Dalit Christians, Hindu fundamentalists perceive this abandonment as an unforgivable rejection of their religion, further fueling their opposition to religious conversion.
Lacking stronger arguments to justify their pro-Hindu kingdom agenda, Hindu nationalist groups over the last two decades have sought to undermine Nepal’s secularism by repeatedly invoking the same outdated tautology—secularism facilitates conversion. Though their claims fail to withstand empirical scrutiny, their embellished rhetoric on secularism and conversion has significantly skewed public perception.
This double-edged discourse undermines secularism in Nepal, heightening the persistent risk of persecution, hostility, and violence against the vulnerable Christian minority. Fueled by confirmation bias, these rhetorical narratives have found resonance among ordinary Hindus, as evidenced by the growing support for the Hindu nationalist movement over the years.
The Path Forward
The heightened anti-Christian rhetoric embedded within Hindu nationalist discourse in Nepal can be countered through a combination of strategic approaches. Misinformation and misleading narratives fuel hate crimes and violence. To combat this, fact-based knowledge production and dissemination—led by media outlets, research institutions, and civil society organizations—are essential to countering disinformation. Moreover, experts and political leaders must engage in public discussions to demystify the principles of secularism, helping the general public move beyond a narrow and misconstrued understanding of the concept.
Hindu religious leaders from majority communities hold a crucial role in advancing interfaith tolerance by promoting narratives that uphold religious pluralism and respect for Christian minorities. Their influence can help shift public perception and counteract the targeted vilification of Christians.
The Nepalese government, international agencies, human rights advocacy groups, and philanthropic organizations must also take an active role and invest in innovative programs that directly address rising anti-secular and anti-Christian hate. Such initiatives should focus on legal protections, education, and grassroot awareness to ensure that Nepal upholds genuine religious freedom and protects its minority communities.
(Krishna Man Rai is an Erasmus Mundus Religious Diversity in a Globalised World (ReD Global) scholar researching religious minorities and nationalism. He previously taught religion and philosophy at National College (Kathmandu University) and has written for The Record Nepal and The Annapurna Express.)