19th Republic Day being celebrated

Kathmandu. The Republic Day is being observed across the country today on the occasion of 18 years of the establishment of the federal democratic republic in Nepal.

The government has declared a public holiday on the occasion of the Day and special programmes have been organized in various parts of the country including the capital Kathmandu.

The main function of the Republic Day is taking place at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel. Earlier this morning, the Nepal Army had fired cannons to welcome the Republic Day. The President, Prime Minister, ministers, chiefs of security bodies and distinguished persons from different sectors are expected to attend the ceremony. President Bhandari is scheduled to address the function.

The establishment of republic in Nepal is not an easy political change. After decades of political struggle, people’s movement, armed rebellion and people’s sacrifice, the first Constituent Assembly meeting on May 29, 2008 ended the 240-year-old monarchy and declared Nepal a federal democratic republic.

The basis for cooperation between the political parties and the then rebel CPN (Maoist) was created after the then King Gyanendra Shah took direct rule on February 2, 2004 BS. The 12-point agreement that followed took the movement to a decisive turn.

The parliament was reinstated after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets during the people’s movement of 2062/063. The reinstated parliament had curtailed the powers of the monarchy, brought the Maoists into the peace process and set the way for holding the Constituent Assembly elections.

As a result, the Constituent Assembly elections were held in 2064 BS and the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a republic.