Gagan Thapa urges Nepali Congress to avoid hasty decisions on Hinduism

Kathmandu, August 17, 2026 — Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has cautioned the party against making decisions aimed at securing immediate political gains, stressing that major issues should be addressed by considering the party’s broader interests and long-term principles.

Speaking at the ongoing Central Working Committee meeting in Sanepa, Thapa said the party should seek to accommodate different views and sentiments rather than rush into decisions for short-term benefit. His remarks come as the question of restoring Nepal’s Hindu-state identity has emerged as a subject of debate within the Nepali Congress.

Thapa said party members were free to hold different opinions and that the leadership should listen to and respect those views.

“We should not make decisions for immediate gain, but rather decisions that encompass everyone,” Thapa said at the meeting. “However, party members may have their own opinions and ideas, and the party must listen to and respect all of them.”

The discussion follows a recent national gathering of a faction led by former Nepali Congress General Secretary Dr Shashank Koirala, where participants adopted a position supporting Hinduism. The development has brought the question of religion and Nepal’s secular status into the party’s internal debate.

Thapa argued that a party with the historical standing of the Nepali Congress needs to consider the long-term consequences of decisions on major political and ideological questions rather than make choices based on immediate electoral or political advantage.

He also said differences of opinion should not be viewed as a problem within the party, describing them as part of democratic practice. According to Thapa, however, individual views need to go through the party’s established procedures before they can become an official party position.

The debate over Hinduism comes at a time when the Nepali Congress is discussing its political direction and the issues it should prioritise. The party's position on the question would require consideration through its formal organisational mechanisms rather than being determined by an individual leader or faction.