KATHMANDU – Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba said everyone should work for strengthening democracy.
At a programme organized on the 32nd anniversary of Nepal Press Union (NPU) here today, Deuba lauded the role of NPU in strengthening democracy.
“The alternative of democracy is democracy. Some forces are on the prowl against democracy at present. We all should be aware about it,” mentioned Deuba, also the former Prime Minister.
He argued that one should have the ability to put up with criticism of the press in the democracy. Similarly, Min Bishwakarma, Chief of NC Department of Information, Communication and Publicity, said that democracy and press are two sides of the same coin. “Democracy cannot exist without press. Nepali Congress should work for safeguarding democracy.”
He viewed that the trend to seek leaders’ back-support in the elections of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists and Nepal Press Union should be ended. Likewise, NC central member Ajaybabu Siwakoti said that more enthusiasm be infused within the NC to further strengthen democracy. He opined that the NC was becoming weak since many departments were yet to be formed in the party and the central committee meeting was not summoned yet.
FNJ President Bipul Pokharel, former President Harihar Birahi, former President of NPU, Kiran Pokharel, among others univocally underscored the need for the journalists to amplify their voice to further strengthen democracy. Stating that democracy would be weak if communication sector become weak, he said that NPU should work towards further strengthening democracy.
NPU President Shiva Lamsal shared that the sitting executive committee was effortful to take forward the NPU in institutional manner. He also informed that NPU’s provincial and district level conventions were held in a majority of the provinces and districts and those remaining ones would be carried out within few months.
He urged the NC for its positive intervention in formulation of the press-friendly laws in the provinces having NC-led government, adding that there were increasing doubt about whether those provincial government would put in place press-friendly laws or not.
NPU Vice-President Nakul Aryal argued that the culture of making NPU as the representative of the party’s general convention should be ended. NPU was established on Jeth 13, 2048 BS. NPU is marking this year as a training year under which various trainings would be imparted to journalists for their capacity enhancement, it was shared.
