People should be made judge in settling Political Disputes-PM

Narayan Dhungana, Kathmandu, May 29: The government has marked the 14th republic day today amidst a special function commemorating the occasion when Nepal was proclaimed a federal democratic republic country.

The celebration was made at the Nepal Army Headquarters in the presence of President Bidya Devi Bhandari. Also present on the occasion were Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Oli, House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota, National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina along with minsters, constitutional bodies’ chiefs and representatives, high-placed government officials and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions based in Nepal.

The day today is celebrated every year in commemoration of the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the republic by the historic Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008.

Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Oli called on the political leaders to make the people judge to settle key political disputes and consolidate the achievements of the republic.

“The people’s periodic evaluation and verdict are decisive. The election is the fundamental aspect of democracy. It refreshes people’s mandate and subsequently strengthens and inspires the government to work as per the people’s expectation”, he said. Hence, the election has been declared for November 12 and 19 this year, PM Oli further said.

PM Oli, also the chairperson of the republic day main function committee, said a situation was developed to go for a fresh mandate to utilize the future time for the country’s development.

He also expressed his commitment to conducting the election in a free and fair manner. PM Oli stressed the need to win the fight against poverty rather not to waste time involved in the power game by exploring loopholes of the republican system.

Democracy would automatically be consolidated when the people become stronger, he said, underscoring the need to sustain a republic by overcoming the petty tendency of keeping people’s supremacy in one’s control.

“This is the sovereign right of the people and they exercise this right through election”, he said, adding that the particular national challenges, pandemic, and global issues should be addressed through a joint effort.

The Prime Minister said Republic Day, the day for mass celebrations, could not be observed this time with fanfare due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Stating that the country was battling against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister promised to leave no stone unturned to save the people’s life from the greatest challenge facing the present generation.

No countries in the world were prepared to face this sudden crisis and Nepal had, too, struggle with the time with the help of zero level’s health mechanism and infrastructure.

The government has guaranteed free treatment for most of the COVID-19 cases and has given continuity to the vaccination campaign when some of the well-resourced countries have not been able to do so.

“We continue with efforts for providing vaccines to all (eligible) population before the upcoming elections,’’ the Prime Minister said, expressing his hope that Nepal would be able to overcome the virus.

The Prime Minister recalled Republic Day as the day when the Nepali people got light in their life with the abolition of monarchy –the system based on inherited supremacy. The day when the people became sovereign is significant and unforgettable in the history of Nepali politics, he added.

He further said the nation was on the course for meeting the national aspiration for ‘prosperous Nepal, happy Nepali’ by focusing on the social and physical development infrastructure. “Campaigns for all-around development have been launched as the government wants to bring changes in people’s life,’’ the Prime Minister said.

Healthy debate, rationale discussions, freedom of expression amidst disagreements are guaranteed in the republic and advanced, transparent, processed, participatory, and selfless conducts, behaviors and attitudes are essential to further promote the republic, according to the Prime Minister.

He took time to claim that the country had seen remarkable progress in economic and social sectors and progress in economic growth rate, a fall in absolute poverty, improvements in peace, good governance and service delivery, good progress in the post-quake reconstruction campaign, and improvements in other global indicators and these all clearly suggested the nation was moving ahead on a right track.