Kathmandu, May 29: President Ram Chandra Poudel said Nepal’s republican system guarantees full political rights and serves as a major inspiration for nation-building. Addressing the 19th Republic Day celebrations at Tundikhel on Friday, he said the republic had united citizens and inspired a shared national identity rooted in ownership of language, culture, religion and land.
Poudel said republicanism was not just a political system but also a way of political, economic and social life guided by ethics and democratic values. He urged political parties and state institutions to uphold integrity, accountability and good governance to strengthen the federal democratic republic.
He said the recently elected government, formed with a strong public mandate, had committed itself to governance reform, improved public service delivery, economic recovery, zero tolerance for corruption and social progress. He expressed confidence that the government’s 100-point reform agenda and plans for structural and legal reforms aimed at promoting a modern, borderless economy would raise public hope.
The president warned that changes in political systems alone could not fulfill public expectations unless political culture, state behavior and leadership values also changed. “Our biggest enemies today are delay, irregularities and disorder,” he said, stressing that such weaknesses should not destroy citizens’ faith in democracy.
Poudel said prosperity with good governance was the people’s main expectation and called for maximum use of national resources to strengthen agriculture, tourism, energy, industry and the service sector. He added that economic growth must directly improve citizens’ lives.
He stressed that political achievements alone were insufficient unless governance and leadership became more democratic, fair, competitive, just and effective. Political parties, the government and leadership, he said, must become more creative, humble, accountable and ethical.
Referring to Nepal’s constitution, Poudel said the federal democratic republic guaranteed political, economic, social, religious and cultural freedoms while aiming to ensure justice for marginalized citizens and opportunities for the poor to improve their living standards.
Calling democracy the world’s best political system, he said Nepal had strengthened it further through federalism, inclusion, social justice and democratic socialism. He noted that sovereignty now rested fully with citizens and that federalism had extended Singha Durbar’s authority to villages across the country through local and provincial governments.
Poudel said democratic practices now allowed citizens’ grievances to be addressed through state institutions, reinforcing the principle that people are the ultimate sovereign authority.
On the occasion, he paid tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives in democratic movements and thanked those who endured imprisonment, exile and hardship in the struggle for political change. He also remembered political leaders, civil society members and parties that contributed to Nepal’s transition to a federal democratic republic.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, senior officials, diplomats and other dignitaries.
— People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment