‘Citizens’ Initiatives for Future Nepal -2′ organised jointly by dozens of social and professional organizations in Kirtipur concluded on Sunday discussing the ways to move towards new Nepal.

It was proposed that the future political structure of Nepal should be a federal state with equal access of all citizens to the national resources.

The meeting debated on 39 different issues that, organizers hoped, would have important impact during the election to constituent assembly. The issues discussed included gender equality, fiscal policies, place of indigenous communities, Dalit, Madhesi, women and backward class people in the mainstream politics. The meeting also discussed on principles of future constitution, regional and political structure of republic Nepal, democratization of the political parties, inclusiveness and participatory guarantees to all people in governance, and much more.

Over 2,500 people took part in parallel discussion session held throughout two-days.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the seminar, general secretary of Nepali Congress (NC), Ram Chandra Poudel, said his party’s general convention meeting would take a decision on whether Nepal should head towards a democratic republic.

Speakers including Bamdev Gautam, standing committee member of CPN (UML), and students leaders Gagan Thapa and Ram Kumari Jhankri claimed that the country would never prosper until monarchy was eliminated and economic and political restructuring was carried out by introducing a federal system of governance.

Pradip Giri of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Dinanath Sharma of CPN (Maoist) said the people will never accept the position of king as ceremonial.

Civil Society leader, Dr Devendra Raj Panday, asked the political parties not to work in favour of monarchy, even for a ceremonial role. Litterateur Khagendra Sangraula said that efforts to work out a political solution alone would be a futile effort unless social, economic, cultural and political reforms were introduced in the country.