'Ram was not Indian': PM KP Sharma Oli says Shiva, Vishwamitra and Valmiki were also Nepali
Shiva
and sage Vishwamitra, originated from Nepal. Speaking at a party event organised by the CPN-UML's Tourism and Civil Aviation Department in Kathmandu, Oli reiterated that Lord Ram was born on what is now Nepalese soil.
Oli cited the original
Ramayana
by sage Valmiki to support his claim, saying, 'We talk about promoting tourism, but how can someone just invent a story saying Ram was born elsewhere? Ram was born in what is today Nepalese territory. Whether it was called Nepal back then or not is a different matter — that region now lies within Nepal.'
He added that although Ram is considered divine by many, Nepal has not actively promoted this belief. 'We hesitate to speak about it. We don't preach it enough — maybe it feels awkward to some. But the birthplace is sacred to those who revere Ram,' he said.
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Expanding on his claim, Oli asserted that other prominent figures from Hindu mythology, including Shiva and Vishwamitra, also hailed from Nepal. 'It's not something I made up. Valmiki's
Ramayana
mentions that Vishwamitra is from Chatara, and he taught Lakshmana after Ram crossed the Koshi River and headed west,' he explained, referencing locations in Sunsari district.
This is not the first time Oli has made such assertions. In July 2020, he had controversially claimed that the real Ayodhya is in Thori, Chitwan district of Nepal, and ordered the construction of a Ram temple there. At the time, he argued that the Ram Janmabhoomi rightfully belongs to Nepal and that historical narratives placing it elsewhere are fabricated.
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He had also claimed that Balmiki Ashram, where sage Valmiki lived, is in Nepal, and that the place where King Dasharath performed a ritual to beget Ram is in Ridi. 'Ram was not Indian, and Ayodhya is in Nepal,' Oli had declared.
To support his argument, Oli had questioned the plausibility of Ram traveling from present-day Ayodhya in India to Janakpur in Nepal without any means of communication or transport. 'There were no phones or messaging systems. How would he have known about Janakpur? The geography suggests proximity,' he said.
Oli's comments have sparked controversy in the past, drawing criticism from members of his own party, the ruling Nepal Communist Party, for invoking religious beliefs for political narratives. Following the backlash, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was compelled to issue clarifications on the matter.
(With ANI inputs)
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