kathmandu : Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has lashed out at the top leaders of political parties for not embracing a flexible approach to federalism.  

General Secretary Thapa warned that the federalism is at jeopardy due to reluctance of top leaders to empower provinces. Thapa said so while delivering his views on an interaction titled, “Provincial Issues Pertaining to Consolidating Federalism” organized in Lalitpur on Tuesday.

He vehemently stated that the development works will not take place unless the top leaders adopt a liberal approach to federalism.

Meanwhile, he further said that even the new and regional parties could not dare warn the heavyweights that they would pull out of the government if the government failed to enact laws for federalism to smoothly function.  

“None of the leaders, including myself, could not adopt a flexible approach to federalism, nor were we interested in it. I have never heard leaders including those of new and regional parties taking stance in favor of enacting federal laws. I never heard them warn that they would quit the government if the police and civil service bills were not passed right away. Consequently, the federalism is at jeopardy.”

Factors hindering the smooth functioning of provinces is that we did not empower them with necessary rights. Provincial and local governments should be allowed to smoothly function by empowering them with necessary rights. The incumbent government is working toward it, Thapa claimed.