President Ram Braan Yadav has said that with the formulation of the new constitution the way has opened for focusing the country towards economic and social development. 

The Head of the State stated this in a message of best wishes that he gave on the occasion of the Bada Dashain Festival 2072 on Thursday.

In the message, the President has wished for the happiness, peace and prosperity of all the Nepalis within and outside the country on this occasion, stressing on the need of now gearing all our thoughts and power towards the common national goal of economic revolution in the backdrop of the main political agenda being settled. 

"Our nearly seven-decade-old national dream of drafting a constitution by the elected people's representatives has been recently realised. I once again extend my hearty congratulations on the happy occasion of the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal by the Constituent Assembly. With the implementation of the new constitution, the peace process that had been initiated nearly a decade back has come to a conclusion while the democratic republic, federalism and inclusiveness, which are the achievements of the People's Movement, have got an institutionalised shape," the President has stated in the message. 

Stating the constitution formulation in itself is a continuous process and it became more refined, inclusive and fair as it is practised and implemented, President Yadav expressed the belief that the new constitution of Nepal would be successful in ending all forms of discriminations, injustices and exploitations while at the same time establishing the basic norms and values of constitutionalism and democracy in the country. 

He has wished that may the constitution succeed in making a notable contribution to consolidating the national unity, social goodwill and forging mutual brotherhood among the people of different regions, communities and castes by opening the door of equal opportunities to all the Nepalis carrying various ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, social and cultural identities and living in the mountainous, hilly and Terai-Madhes regions from east to west. 

"Festivals are the embellishment of the Nepali society. The festivals that occur with every change in the seasons have played an important role in maintaining the social harmony, national unity and the common Nepali identity by integrating our geographical, religious, cultural, racial and linguistic diversity," the President observed, comparing the unique traditions of different communities, castes, geographic regions and religious faiths as the pivot of the national unity. 

He also said that it would be timely to pay attention towards expanding and promoting festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, Lhosar, among others, as the common cultural celebrations. 

"Some parts of the country, especially the Terai, Madhes has become agitated and disturbed even as a large part of the country still continues to suffer from the fear and damage wreaked by the devastating earthquake, and the life of the people in the Terai-Madhes has been made very painful by the continuing general strike, shutdowns and insecurity, The Head of the State said in the message, expressing concern over the studies of nearly two million children being obstructed and the industry, factories, banks, financial system and the national economy of the entire country also getting badly affected by this situation. 

Protest, general strikes and movements are taken as the natural process in a democracy; however, the form of the protests and movements should be always democratic and peaceful. It is very necessary that the State's treatment of the protestors should also be one of tolerance and restraint, the President said in the message. 

The President's message reads: "It is the duty of the democratic governments to accept with all seriousness and sensitivity the voices of protests and the demands of the movements that have been raised within the parametres of the democratic system through talks, discussions and negotiations and address them. 

The President has also urged all sides concerned to hear the voices of the people of the Terai, Madhes, who have always remained at the forefront in the struggle for change and democracy, and not to make further delay in seeking solution to the problem there. RSS