HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Opening of ophthalmic studies centre commemorates BP

Kathmandu, Sept.9 (RSS):Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated a community service and research building of the newly constructed B. P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies at Teaching Hospital Maharajgunj on the occasion of the 88th birth anniversary of the late Koirala today.

The four-storey building constructed for treating cataract and other eye ailments with a grant of Rs 60 million of the Health Ministry has an eye treatment centre, a laboratory, an operation theatre and a library.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Deuba expressed confidence that the centre will help raise people’s awareness for the treatment of eye diseases in the nooks and corners of the country and enhance services.

He honoured doctors and social workers Madan Prasad Upadhyay, Navinchandra Rai, Miss Linda J. Jackson, Bhagawati Thapa and others for their contribution to eye treatment and released the annual report of the centre.

Minister for Health Sharat Singh Bhandari spoke of the need to generate health manpower as per the needs of the country.

Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyay said that community organisations have the added responsibility of taking health and education services to the targeted sections of the community.

Various other speakers including Dr Shashank Koirala, TU Vice Chancellor Navin Prakashjung Shah, WHO resident representative and Dr H. G. Shrestha also expressed their views on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari declared open the one-day free health camp organised by Nepal Tarun Dal central committee at Bhadragol Jail on the occasion of the 88th B.P. Jayanti and eve of the 2nd national convention of the Nepal Tarun Dal today.

Stating that it is the fundamental right of everyone to remain healthy, Minister Bhandari said that His Majesty’s Government would give special priority to such programmes and extend necessary assistance.

From the chair president of the Nepal Tarun Dal Balkrishna Khand urged all the inmates to serve the nation by utilising their skill and capabilities.

On the occasion one minutes silence was observed in memory of the known and unknown martyrs.

Doctors of Bir Hospital had provided their services to the inmates of Bhadragol Jail.

Meanwhile, at a programme organised on the occasion of the 88th birth anniversary of popular leader B.P. Koirala at the Nepali Congress central office here today, office chief secretary Basanta Kumar Gautam, other secretaries and office-bearers, and distinguished personalities paid tributes to the late leader by offering garlands at his portrait.

In Tanahun (Damauli), Nepali Congress leader and former deputy prime minister Ram Chandra Paudel has said that the Maoists violence that has terrorized the people and is ruining the nation will not last long.

Paudel, who was speaking at a talk programme on the occasion of the 88th BP Jayanti organised by the NC Tanahun today, spoke of the need to form a multi-party united front of those who have faith in democracy to fight against the growing threats of the Maoists in the country.

The arrogance of the Maoists that they can do anything whatever they like will some day be shattered, he warned.

NC central member Govind Raj Joshi expressed confidence that the talks between the Maoists and the government will be successful, adding that the Maoists movement is aimed at setting up a Republican state.

A host of others including former minister of state Amarraj Kaini and mayor of Vyas Municipality Dhruva Wagle also spoke at the function.

Likewise, in Lamjung, on the occasion of the 88th B.P. Jayanti, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. initiated an afforestation programme organised by the NC Lamjung unit at Gaonsahar VDC today.

Speaking at a programme organised following the afforestation, Minister K.C. said imbibing the Nepali Congress principle of nationality, democracy and socialism would be a true tribute to the late leader.

Minister for Labour Palten Gurung said ten years of democracy have achieved what was not achieved in 32 years of the Panchayat era.

NC district president Shanker Kanta Joshi presided.

In Nepalgunj, Nepali Congress general secretary Sushil Koirala has said that the good intention shown by the government in the government-Maoist talks should not be taken as weakness on the part of the government.

Giving away prizes and certificates to the winners of an essay competition organised on the occasion of the 88th birth anniversary of popular leader B.P. Koirala here today Koirala said even though the Nepali Congress wants the talks to be peaceful and successful, the Maoists should understand that we cannot clap with one hand.

It is day dreaming to think that the politics of fear, threats and guns will bring change, Mr Koirala said adding that the rights and well-being of the people can be safe only in a democratic system which has been proved the best in the world.

Stating that activities like brandishing arms, attacking industrial establishments and using force against educational institutions indicate that the Maoists do not want peace, Mr Koirala said even the central level all party meeting has concluded that such Maoist activity is against the consensus that has been reached.

MP Kailash Nath Gupta, Banke DDC chairman Om Prakash Jung Rana and other speakers also expressed their views at the programme chaired by NC town committee chairman Surendra Nath Sapkota.

Also today, NC general secretary Koirala laid the foundation stone for a petrol pump to be constructed by Bheri Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs Association.

Also in Nepalgunj, on the occasion of the 88th B. P. Jayanti, NC general secretary Sushil Koirala, NC Banke district president Krishna Man Shrestha and other distinguished persons paid tributes to the late B. P. Koirala by garlanding his statue at B. P. Chowk today.

The function was organised by NC Banke district committee.

In Bhadrapur, member of the Nepali Congress central committee and MP Krishna Sitaula has stressed the need to develop awareness and educate women for the development of the society.

Speaking at a function organised by NC Jhapa constituency No 2 and Jhapa district Nepal Women’s Association to mark the 88th B. P. Jayanti, Sitaula said that the Nepali Congress government and the people are ready to face the problems encountered by the country.

Chief district officer Shyam Prasad Mainali said that the principles of the late B.P. Koirala should be followed in order to maintain law and order in the society.

At the function chaired by president of the NC Jhapa district constituency No 1 committee Madan Gurung, former MP Dili Prasad Sitaula, president of the NC Jhapa district constituencies Nos. 2 and 3 Kashilal Chaudhary and Ram Kattel, president of the district Nepal Women’s Association Sushila Dhakal, president of the district Nepal Tarun Dal Dhanaraj Gurung, NC general convention member Ambika Rijal, president of the district Nepal Trade Union Congress Dipak Tamang and others threw light on the personality and contributions made by the late B. P. Koirala.

On the occasion MP Sitaula awarded Swachhanda Songmen for securing highest marks in the S.L.C. examination from Jhapa district, Rekha Kumari Das for securing highest marks from among the ethnic community of Jhapa district and Urmila Kisku, B.B.S third year student of Mechi Campus for securing the highest marks.

Meanwhile, in Kathmandu, the Sushma Koirala Memorial Trust organised a talk program on "BP Koirala and Modern Nepal" on the occasion of the birth anniversary of BP Koirala, the first popularly elected prime minister of the country today.

Keynote speaker Dr Jayaraj Acharya, on the occasion, said if BP is remembered only once in a year like a ritual, it is better not to remember him and spoke of the need to remember every moment given the challenges the country and democracy are facing at the moment.

Wondering whether democracy would be in such a dismal state if BP were alive, Dr Acharya observed that the land reforms programme which was in fact to be effected way back in 2048 is just now being implemented and no initiatives have been taken at all to work out new education policies till now.

Democracy had faced challenges all of a sudden in 2017 BS, but now it is facing challenges due to political anomalies and loss of moral values and norms, he said adding, it is necessary for us all to uphold moral values.

Noting that great leaders are not confined to politics only and Churchil, Mao Tsetung, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc can be taken as a case in point, Dr Acharya observed that eight year’s incarceration of the late leader has immensely contributed to the field of literature.

He has already translated BP’s famous novel "Modiaain", but it is yet to be published, he added.

Likewise, speaking at a interaction programme organised in Birgunjn yesterday by the Nepali Congress Parsa-1 constituency committee on the occasion of the 88 th birth anniversary of late B. P. Koirala, central member of the Nepali Congress Bimalendra Nidhi has said that the radical land reform programme adopted by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is a concept of late B. P. Koirala.

Nidhi said a challenge has come on the shoulders of the Nepali Congress to build a new Nepal, adding that although the government is effortful in resolving the Maoist problem through peaceful talks, the activities of the Maoists during the past few days shows that they are not ready to resolve the problem.

At the function presided over by Nepali Congress constituency No. 1 committee president Ram Narayan Kurmi, various other speakers including NC Parsa president Rajendra Bahadur Amatya, ex-MP Ramesh Rijal, Ram Chandra Kushwaha and DDC chairman Janardan Sigh Chhetri also expressed their views.

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