Kathmandu, Mar. 21:A one-day interaction programme was held in Lalitpur recently, in which lawyers, human rights activists and journalists discussed the religious rights and freedom within the existing constitutional and legal framework.

The interaction programme was organised by Association of lawyers for Legal Awareness and Training (ALERT-Nepal).

Presenting a theme paper in the interaction programme, advocate Narayan prasad Ghimire said that the democratic constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal guarantees religious freedom and tolerance among all religious communities and allows every religious community  to exercise own religion. However, forcible conversion and attempts to create hatred against any religious faith and community have been discouraged and prohibited.

Commenting on the theme paper Dr. K.B. Rokaya, both lawyer as well as human rights activists, said that even some constitutional provisions relating to fundamental rights have not been fully implemented as result certain section of people have been discriminated on the ground of their faith.

Human Rights activist Raj Narayan Nepali of INSEC complained that some poor and illiterate people especially in the rural and remote areas have been lured to convert into other religions. Nepali said that such practice should not be allowed in the name of religious freedom. Participants from the floor were of the opinion that religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution, which must be implemented in a letter and spirit.