Former President Yadav urges RSP to use public mandate for protecting democracy and constitution

Kathmandu, March 17: Former President Ram Baran Yadav called on the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to make effective use of the near two-thirds public mandate it secured in the recently held House of Representatives election for nation-building, while safeguarding democracy, constitution and federalism.

Former President Yadav delivered the statement while launching the book 'Sankalpan' written by Bipul Pokharel, former President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), here today. 

Yadav emphasized broader acceptance of the recent election's results, Gen-Z led movements and calls for changes. The Former Head of the State urged the RSP to utilize the public mandate for nation-building. 

Recalling the history, he said that the Nepali Congress had secured two-thirds majority in the 2015 BS's election leading to election of BP Koirala as the Prime Minister. However, the then government could not complete its full term. 

He warned that the recently secured public mandate should not be similarly go in vain. Stressing the need to protect country, constitution, democracy, federalism, secularism and inclusiveness, Yadav underlined that everyone should follow the constitution.  

"No political forces should aspire to wipe out its opposition in future elections. Democracy cannot function properly without a strong opposition," he argued. 

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Dr Minendra Rijal noted that the party securing two-thirds majority in the March 5 election to the House of Representatives should take the lead for nation-building.

He also called on other political parties, stakeholders and citizens to join the nation-building bid. According to him, Nepal had seen a trend of transactional politics and coalition culture since 2074 BS and the latest public mandate had put a 'brake' on that pattern. 

Rijal highlighted the need for the political leaders to steer forward the nation without repeating the past mistakes. 

The former Information Minister cautioned against the tendency of regulating information technology with ulterior motives and disproved of the idea of a political system without any opposition.

Likewise, Dharmendra Jha, Executive Chairperson of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), asserted that in democracy, those in power should act with greater responsibility and democracy should be function in the way that all citizens could genuinely experience and benefit from it. 

He said that the newly launched book had demonstrated how newspaper writing could also shape ideas and become a literary work.

Similarly, Babita Basnet, senior journalist, commented that the 'Sankalpan' was not just a collection of articles but also a document of its time. 

According to her, the writer had presented forward-looking perspective on the sentiments of youth and strengthening of democracy in his book. 

Shedding light on the newly released book, write Pokharel mentioned that the book compiles his observations on contemporary politics, society, democracy, ideas and journalism.

The book is published by Gorakshya National Daily. (RSS)