Source: Dr. Hari Bansh Jha, Hinduism Today Correspondent
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, October 8, 2002: At Hotel Everest Sheraton in Kathmandu, the capital city of world’s only Hindu Kingdom Nepal, the three-day 15th Executive Committee Meeting of World Hindu Federation (WHF) commenced on September 9 with the objective of giving new life to the world body. Attended by delegates of OMKAR family from Nepal, apart from delegates of India, Malaysia, USA, Bangladesh and Indonesia, the function had participants from Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh religions. Chief Guest of WHF opening ceremony, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepal said that the Hindu religion is based on Basudhaib Kutumbakam i.e. universal brotherhood. He added that the age-long religion and culture would be preserved for the country’s sovereignty, national unity and existence. Krishna Gopal Tondon, Chairman of the WHF remarked, “Secularism has fragmented the Hindu society. We are not propagating any worship, puja or offering. We only want all the Hindus of the world to remember their root and what they have learned from their forefathers.” Representing Nepal, Atmanand Giri expressed anxiety over the deteriorating human values at the level of the families and the nation. In order to give boost to the human values, he suggested that Bal Mandir and Shishu Mandir should be established in which the children should be given moral education. In its final resolutions, the WHF decided to amend its constitution. It will be presented to the General Assembly to be held in India in the next year. The venue of the Assembly is not yet decided but it would be organized in one of these places – Ayodhya, Banaras or Gorakhpur. It was also decided that His Majesty the King of Nepal should be felicitated and he should be asked to become Chief Patron of WHF in the International Conference on Hindu Religion to be held in Nepal.