President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has said that he is playing the role of a coordinator in the dispute over the army integration.

Talking to journalists at his residence in Dhapasi, Saturday, the president said, “I have to play the role of coordinator. I speak when there is the opportunity.”

President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav
He made the comments when a journalist drew his attention to a recent report that the prime minister had urged him to play the role of guardian in resolving the issue.

The president said that the role and political space prescribed to him by the Constituent Assembly will be acceptable. But he disagreed that his role is ‘ceremonial’ as per the present constitution.

“I have the duty to protect the constitution and abide by it. There is no reference about this position being ceremonial,” he said.

At a function organised to mark the festive occasions, the president told the select group of invited journalists that he does not feel inhibited due to his official position to speak his mind in clear manner.

During the interaction, the president reiterated the need to safeguard the national integrity and unity of the country.

“My effort will be to see that there will be a new democratic constitution,” he added.

He said that since the institution of presidency is new to Nepal, there is still much to do to make it systematic.

He also said that he is being regularly briefed by the government. “The prime minister came to me before and after each of his recent foreign visits and briefed about them,” he said. nepalnews.com sd Nov 01 08