Republic Day observed in Nepal

Saturday, 30 May 2009

The first Republic Day was marked on Friday amid much fanfare at Sainik Manch in Tundikhel.
The Constituent Assembly had declared Nepal a Republican state on Jestha 15 last year.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Vice President Paramanda Jha, PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, Speaker Subas Nembang and Chief Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi took part in the programme by releasing doves, while army helicopters showered flower petals from above.
Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel took part in the parade and also presented cultural shows on the occasion. Only a handful of CA members from the Unified CPN-Maoist attended the programme.
Later, at a function organised by the President at Shital Niwas to mark the occasion, PM Nepal
expressed apprehension that the growing misunderstanding among the major parties could derail the peace process.
“The task of bringing the peace process to a logical end, writing of the new constitution and safeguarding sovereignty of our people may remain incomplete if differences are not settled at the earliest,” he said.
“The failure to accomplish the duty will give a bad name to the leaders,” he added.
Stating that the new constitution could only be drafted on the basis of consensus, cooperation and unity among the parties, Nepal pledged that the CPN-UML -led government would succeed in bringing the peace process to a logical end and ensuring good governance.
He also expressed concern about the worsening law and order situation across the nation.
The PM today also laid the foundation of Republic Monument at Ratnapark.
Sources close to the PM said that the the monument would be unveiled by the time the new constitution would be ready for promulgation.
The government has allocated Rs 50 million to construct the monument. Maoist leaders did not attend the foundation-laying programme.