Nepal, Aug. 6 -- "Self-interest, communalism, personality cults and an outward-looking mindset dominate the country today. In such a situation, the first casualty is nationalism. Our struggle was once only for democratic rights. Today, it has a new dimension: protecting the nation's very existence."

These were the words of one of the founding leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC), BP Koirala, before returning to Nepal in 1976 with his policy of national reconciliation.

Only a week ago, as communal tensions escalated in Kaptanganj of Sunsari's Dewanganj Municipality, Nepal appeared to be drifting toward the kind of religious and social division BP had warned against. Restraint shown by the government, political parties and local communiti...