HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

NC will work for dev, democracy: PM

Kathmandu, July 21 (RSS): Prime Minister and President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has expressed determination to direct the large and organised strength of the Nepali Congress towards the work of development, preservation and promotion of democracy.

Prime Minister Koirala was inaugurating a two day training cum talk programme on ‘Democratic Socialism in the Context of Nepal’ organised by the NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee at Lalitpur to mark the 18th B.P. Memorial Day.

Mr Koirala said his wish is to create a situation in which Maoist affected families will be able to celebrate the Dashain festival this year in their own homes, adding "I am going to the Maoist affected areas myself, I intend to form all party committees there for carrying out development activities, and I will see how party workers and the police and administration respond when I go there as party president and Prime Minister."

NC President Koirala said even if minor disputes exist within the party it will not split as activities aimed at bringing about a split have always been there.

The multi-dimensional personality and socialist policy of the late B.P. should be looked upon in its entirety, he said adding that every person who upholds NC ideals, norms and the party flag is indeed a B.P. Koirala himself.

NC general secretary Sushil Koirala said democracy and the party will not be successful if the evils, aberrations and shortcomings in our present system are not corrected.

He said that the center has no animosity towards any district working committee, adding that active membership will be issued to all former active members except those who stood as rebel candidates in the last election, proposed or seconded such candidacies or those whom the party president himself had gone to the constituency to initiate action against.

He said that in another two or three months the general convention is taking place, so let the election be contested on the basis of thinking instead of groupism, and let the activities of the party and government be considered in a spirit of proper criticism.

MP Yog Prasad Upadhyaya said that in a democracy one should work out of a national spirit instead of for individual interests.

NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee chairman Sagar Shumsher Rana said BP’s gentle character has not been reflected by leaders of the Nepali Congress and other parties.

Programme convenor Chandra Maharjan chaired the programme at which NC Lalitpur vice chairman Rudra Sharma and secretary Jagar Raj Shakya also expressed their views.

On the same occasion the NC Lalitpur district ad hoc committee today organised an afforestation programme at Sunakothi. The programme was inaugurated by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel initiated an afforestation programme organised at Kirtipur Municipality ward No 7 Champadevi on the occasion of the l8th memorial day of popular leader BP Koirala by the BP Park Development and Conservation Committee and the BP Thought Foundation.

On the occasion, l,000 tree saplings of various species were planted.

Addressing the function, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said BP was not only a thinker but also a man of the age who translated thought, principles and ideals into action and provided practical leadership.

He said the popular revolution of 2007 Bikram year was the starting point of social, economic and political change in Nepalese society and no new change has taken place since the social changes heralded by that event. That change was possible because of BP’s ability to guide the country through his thinking and vision.

He also expressed the view that the tendency of planting trees but not preserving them, and garlanding photos to make a show of it and carrying out activities calculated to hide things in the name of remembering BP should end.

Remarking that the political goal of the Nepali Congress is to uplift the poor and for this the Bishweshwar With The Poor Programme has been brought into effect, the Deputy Prime Minister said the downtrodden and oppressed classes and Kamaiya bonded labourers should also be targeted under this programme.

Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol said adherence to the principles and ideals of democratic socialism as propounded by BP would alone be considered genuine tribute to him.

Nepali Congress Kathmandu ad hoc committee chairman Shyam Lal Shrestha said the principles he espoused have not been embraced in the correct fashion, adding that the principle of democratic socialism should be embraced if rural development is to take off and the democratic system consolidated.

From the chair, BP Thought Foundation Cairman Haribol Bhattarai called for self criticism of one’s own weaknesses and failings.

BP Park Development and Conservation Committee Champadevi convenor Mani Ram Acharya and ward chairman Madhav Bhattarai also spoke on the occasion.

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