Nepal's Constituent Assembly rejected calls to remove the key term 'secularism' from the new Constitution and officially make it a Hindu state, triggering protests by Hindu activists. The proposal was made by Rastirya Prajatantra Party Nepal or National Democratic Party Nepal which demanded that secularism be removed from the Constitution in the Article 4 and Hindu state be mentioned instead. The agitating Madhesi font parties are protesting against the seven province model of the federal structure as proposed by the major political parties. Southern Nepal has witnessed turmoil since lawmakers from major political parties struck a breakthrough deal on August 15 to divide the country into seven provinces.
