Nepal’s Hindu extremist seeks forgiveness of Christians and Muslims

(January 15, 2010) A jailed Hindu extremist responsible for attacks on Christians and other groups in Nepal last year says he has changed and is seeking pardon from the communities his group targeted. "The decision to attack religious people was a mistake. I ask the forgiveness of all religious communities,” said Ram Prasad Mainali, former head of Nepal Defense Army (NDA) the Hindu group responsible for the attack on May 23 on the Church of the Assumption in Kathmandu, which killed three Christians. "I want to ask the community (Christian and Muslim) to not look at me with disdain but I wish that they take pity on me and I ask them to always pray for me," Mainali said from Kathmandu’s Nakkhu prison where he is kept since his arrest on September 10. Over the years, the NDA has claimed a series of terrorist activities including murder, explosions and intimidation, in order to create a Hindu style state in Nepal. It has claimed responsibility for the attack on the headquarters of the Congress Central Party on August 11 and the mosque of Birantnagar on April 26. The group is also accused of the murder of Indian Salesian priest, Fr John Prakash in Sirsya, in July 2007. Mainali says he has changed after attending Bible meetings, prayer sessions and discussions in the prison. However, the parish priest of the Assumption Church and the head of Islamic Federation of Nepal are sceptical about this saying it could be a ploy to get out of prison.