Kathmandu. Writer and analyst Mahendra Prakash Shiwakoti has released the book ‘Preface to the Development of the Country’ and ‘Political Awareness’.
The book was launched amidst a special program organized in Kathmandu on Monday. On the occasion, CPN-UML senior leader Bidya Devi Bhandari said that democracy should be understood along with rights, duty and responsibility.
“Democracy is not only a system of rights, it is also a balance between rights and duties,” she said.
“Citizens should have the right to demand services and facilities from the state, as well as the protection of public property, upholding the law and respecting the rights and freedoms of others,” she said. He was of the view that the efforts of the government and political parties alone were not enough for the country’
s development.
“Every aspect of the society, every community and every citizen has its own role and responsibility in development. Labor, creativity, entrepreneurship, discipline, honesty and social responsibility of the citizens are also important bases of development,” she said.
He said that the culture of reading would help build an aware citizen and a knowledge-based society.
“I believe that a culture of reading books and discussing what they read helps build an informed citizen and a knowledge-based society,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bhandari expressed dissatisfaction with the management and cleanliness of the Pragya Bhavan. He said that even though he had to pay expensive rent, he did not pay attention to the management.
‘If you pay the rent for almost a day, the big hall will go up to more than three lakhs. We have also done programs by paying rent many times, the Pragya Bhavan is talking about the big hall. But I don’t want to name the cleanliness of the place, but I have to pay attention to what needs to be done,” she said.
Stating that the Pragya Bhawan has historical importance, she drew the attention of the concerned officials to improve the management.
Speaking on the occasion, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) leader Rajendra Pandey said that the development achievements made in Nepal in the last 35 years should not be ignored.
“Some friends have come to power by saying the same thing, by saying the same thing. But nothing has happened in 35 years?” he said.
Recalling that he was elected president of Dhading District Panchayat in 2044 BS by contesting against the Panchayat system, Pandey said that he too had played a role in the development works.
‘Out of the 10 bridges built by my efforts, 6 bridges have been washed away by the recent floods of Bhotekoshi. About 41 suspension bridges have been washed away. It has caused a lot of damage. Yesterday, we built it and it washed away,” he said.
Pandey claimed that there were around 5,300 kilometers of blacktopped road at the end of the Panchayat system, which now has increased to around
28,000 kilometers.
Stating that roads have also been expanded in rural areas, he said, “More than 70,000 kilometers of roads have been constructed in rural areas under the ‘Build Your Own Village’ program made by the local government. This has happened in the same 35 years, not before.” Pandey also cited the changes in the field of communication and telecommunication as an example of development.
‘Yesterday there were 40,000 lines of telephones, when the Panchayat was over, there were 40,000 lines of telephones. Today, more than two crore Nepalis have mobile phones in their hands, some have two mobiles in their hands. Isn’t all this progress of these 35 years?” he asked.
Stating that the number
of technical schools, literacy rate, health services and life expectancy have improved, Pandey said that the achievements of development should be accepted.
However, he said that a large number of Nepalis had to go abroad due to lack of adequate employment opportunities in the country.
Pandey suggested author Shiwakoti to include the statistics of the current situation and measures for improvement in the book.
‘You have worked hard. But I think in every headline you have mentioned today’s situation. If you want to write today’s situation, you have to include statistics as well,” he said.
Pandey said that the book on political awareness should also make an impartial evaluation of different periods on the basis of facts. Pandey also said that the statement that all the old leaders are corrupt is not appropriate.
And the statement that all the leaders were corrupt yesterday should also stop this thing. I am a continuous MP from 1999 to 79 at that time. Well, we have never been involved in such corrupt activities,” he said. Saying that all the leaders and cadres of the old party should not be evaluated from the same point of view, he said, “Therefore, let’s not say that all these leaders are corrupt and all the people of the party were wrong.” Pandey suggested the author to correct the shortcomings of the book and make it factual. He said that the book can also be a useful reference material for the students.
“Given all these titles, it can be a helpful book to prepare the course for 8th, 9th and 12th grades, if you put in a little effort,” he said.
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