National Democracy Day observed

The 72nd Rasriya Prajatantra Diwas or the National Democracy Day was celebrated by organising a special function at Nepali Sainik Manch,Tundikhelin Kathmandu Saturday.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Acting Chief Justice Deepak Kumar Karki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Agni Prasad Sapkota, ministers and high-ranking officials were present on the occasion.

Nepal Army helicopters carrying the banner of National Democracy Day showered flower petals from above the venue. Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force also presented a march past on the occasion. The ceremony was addressed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Prime Minister Deuba said that the government is working to make the country prosperous while protecting the achievements gained from the political movement. He said that positive support from everyone is needed in making this task successful.

Prime Minister Deuba also stressed the need to conduct the local, state and federal elections in a fair, free and fearless environment.

Talking about the implementation of federal democratic republic and inclusive governance system in the country as it is moving forward with the success achieved from the political revolution of 1951, Deuba said that the national responsibility of building an egalitarian society should be fulfilled by institutionalizing it.

He also recalled that the nation has made great strides politically since the political revolution of 1951 and the people’s movement of 1990 and 2006.

Nepal’s democracy has an adventurous history of being established, snatched, and re-established. A lot of Nepali citizens lost their life for democracy to bring into the country. During the 1940s, the people and civil society of Nepal launched a movement against the autocratic family regime of Ranas and established democracy in 1951’s. This was an unprecedented historical achievement in Nepali political history which was again snatched by the monarch in 1961’s.

The Partyless Panchayat system imposed by monarchs ruled the country for 30 years when all parties were banned and the fundamental democratic rights of citizens. Finally, democracy was restored through various movements and mass protests in 1990, and the monarchy was kept under the constitution. In the meantime, Maoists commenced people’s revolution to combat the imperialist forces and establish an inclusive system, with the combined movement of other political forces and Maoists, a campaign was initiated against the autocratic steps of the monarch. This mass movement successfully abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal.

Respect and honour to the heroes of democracy, may the power of people become stronger and intact. The Democracy Day is also the day to analyse how much the government can acknowledge and assimilate the dream and efforts of people’s movements and martyrs.