Nepali Congress warns against sabotage of democracy

Nepal's Vice President Ramchandra Poudyal has called upon the government to speed up the drafting of the constitution and implement it by November, warning that "anti-democratic forces" are attempting to foil its completion.

Speaking as chief guest at the 5th death anniversary of first female deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Shailaja Acharya, he said, "We all need to be cautious, aware and effortful towards protecting the democratic achievement as the country passes through a long transitional period".

Noting that there was a need to forge cooperation and unity among different patriotic political forces to protect national integrity and bring about national unity, Poudyal said, "The country has not yet become free from the politics of conspiracy as some anti-democratic forces are foiling the attempts to drafting the constitution on time".

He said extreme rightist and extreme leftist forces had always created obstacles on the path of consolidating democracy ever since the country first established it in 1950 after abolishing the century old Rana oligarchy.

Speaking on the occasion Deputy Prime Minister and Congress general secretary Krishna Sitaula underlined the need to follow in the footsteps of Acharya, who devoted her life fighting against corruption and anti-democratic forces.

Nepal's four major political parties recently failed to make any progress in drafting a new constitution during their first meeting after assembly polls last year.