Kathmandu: President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that the republic has guaranteed all political rights to the people and serves as a great source of inspiration and responsibility for nation-building.

Addressing a special ceremony held at Tundikhel on Friday on the occasion of the 19th Republic Day 2083 BS, President Paudel stressed the need for unity, political integrity, and ethical conduct to safeguard and strengthen the republic.

“The republic has guaranteed us full political rights and provided an opportunity to move forward together towards a prosperous future,” he said. “It has united citizens and inspired a shared commitment to building one nation by ensuring ownership over our language, culture, religion, civilization, and land. Therefore, it is both a great inspiration and a major responsibility for nation-building.”

The President stated that preserving the dignity of the republic and making it more prosperous requires collective commitment to political values, morality, and responsible conduct.

He said the current government, formed with a strong public mandate after the successful completion of parliamentary elections, has prioritised good governance, improved public service delivery, economic recovery, zero tolerance against corruption, and social progress.

President Paudel also expressed confidence that the government’s decision to implement a 100-point governance reform agenda, along with structural and legal reforms aimed at promoting a borderless economy and weightless trade, would raise public optimism.

He stressed that political and structural changes alone are insufficient to meet the aspirations of the people unless accompanied by reforms in governance culture, political behaviour, and ethical standards.

“Our biggest enemy today is not someone else, but delays, irregularities, and disorder,” he said, warning that such problems should not discourage citizens who have envisioned a prosperous federal democratic republic.

The President underlined that the goals of the federal democratic republic cannot be achieved until every citizen experiences hope and improvement in their daily lives.

He further said citizens are now seeking prosperity backed by good governance, adding that Nepal’s available resources must be utilised to their fullest potential to ensure economic growth and connect governance with people’s lives.

Highlighting the need for broader reforms, President Paudel said political achievements alone are not enough to transform citizens’ lives unless the character of politics, political parties, leadership, and state institutions also changes.

“To realise the true excellence of the republic, our politics, governance style, political parties, and representative institutions must become fully democratic, impartial, competitive, just, and effective,” he said.

President Paudel also called on political parties, the government, and national leadership to become more creative, humble, accountable, and ethical, while urging state institutions to be more dynamic and result-oriented.

Referring to the Constitution of Nepal, he said the federal democratic republic guarantees political, economic, social, religious, and cultural freedoms, while also aiming to ensure justice for the marginalised and better livelihoods for the poor.

Describing the democratic republic as one of the world’s best political systems, President Paudel said Nepal has further strengthened it through federalism, inclusion, social justice, and democratic socialism.

“There is no political system more advanced than this,” he said.

He also noted that provincial and local governments are exercising their constitutional responsibilities, allowing citizens to practise sovereignty directly from their communities and ensuring that grievances can be addressed through democratic institutions.