India, Aug. 1 -- Nepal's communal violence tests whether Balen Shah can fulfil his promise of an efficient government capable of restoring order in the Himalayan kingdom

Prime Minister Balen Shah, the rapper-turned-politician, recently completed 100-days in office. However, what should have been a cause of celebration was drowned in the noise of communal violence. What began in Kaptanganj in Sunsari, in Nepal, on July 26 over religious flags and loud music during separate Hindu and Muslim programmes quickly turned violent. Police firing killed at least one person and the unrest spread into parts of Madhesh Province. By July 30, the death toll had risen to three, with curfews imposed in several districts and the Army deployed to restore o...