‘We were a peaceful Hindu Rashtra’: Manisha Koirala’s old video resurfaces amid Nepal unrest

Amid rising political turmoil in Nepal, an old video of actress Manisha Koirala endorsing the idea of a Hindu Rashtra has resurfaced online, sparking debate about the nation’s religious and political identity.

The clip, which has gone viral on social media, shows Koirala emphasising Nepal’s Hindu heritage while questioning its secular status. In the interview, she asserts, “We were a Hindu Nation. And the only Hindu Nation, our best identity is that we a Hindu Nation. And in our country, there has never been a fight over religion. There is no war here, no killing, and no fights. We were a peaceful Hindu Rashtra with no conflict. Why was it removed?”

She added, “I mean it was made to feel like it was all a conspiracy. Unity would remove it completely and even by destroying it by itself. Politicians have used the whole term government.”

The video, shared on X with the caption, “Manisha Koirala had said this about Nepal some time back..”, dates back to November 2022, just ahead of Nepal’s general elections held on November 20.

Nepal is in turmoil as Gen Z protestors are spearheading anti-government protests in the country, demanding that Parliament be dissolved and the Constitution amended to reflect the will of the people. The death toll from the violent demonstrations increased to 34 on Thursday

The unrest, which began over a now-reversed social media ban, has escalated into a broader anti-corruption movement, drawing thousands of protesters to the streets.