Prime Minister and Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) KP Sharma Oli paid a glowing tribute to freedom fighter “Aazad” on his 38th memorial day today.
At his official residence at Baluwatar in Kathmandu, PM Oli, looking at the widowed wife of martyr Aazad, Goma Devkota, and his son Subash Devkota, said, “We have many challenges to ahead of us to fulfill the dreams of martyrs. We are effortful to curb corruption and ensure good governance thereby institutionalizing peace and stability in the country.”
Rishiraj Devkota “Aazad”, a freedom fighter, was killed by then Panchayat reign in Bhiman forest on February 21, 1981.
PM Oli, who is 8 years junior to Azad, came to know about his murder while he was in jail but he could not meet him before his death.
PM Oli, presenting himself as a person who was saved from the bullet and any other kind of death during the freedom fight, said, “We were spared by the untimely death. If we fail to fulfill the dreams of martyrs, there would be no greater misery than this.”
PM Oli, on ensuring good-governance, said that those organs responsible for implementing laws, would be made resourceful and any kind of violation of laws would be curbed.
Furthermore, he said, “We are not running government in traditional way. Our government is focusing on the agenda of development and prosperity. This government is not corrupted nor will tolerate corruption.”
On democracy, the PM said, “The democracy was not introduced just like that. Monarchy toppled through the struggle. We spent a long time struggling. We have just paved the path to development by promulgating the constitution. We will make stride as we are moving ahead in a high speed.”
Saying the country is pursuing the process to further strengthen national unity by establishing the country as sovereign and free and self dependent, he said the incumbent government had taken initiatives to transform the governance into one without poverty.
Pointing out contribution of democracy fighters like Aajad to establishing the present federal democratic republic, he said, “Martyrs’ sacrifices have not gone to waste. The country is pursuing the issue of economic transformation after concluding political one. We should not forget sacrifices of many people to have brought such changes.”
He remembered Aajad as an ideal and multi-dynamic person. On the occasion, PM Oli launched a book entitled ‘Shahid Rishiraj Devkota ‘Aajad’: Nepali Krantika Avimanyu’ compiled and edited by Govinda Gajurel and Bibash Wasti.
Speaking in the same programme, DPM and Minister for Defense Ishwar Pokharel said that Aajad was an honest, intelligent and capable leader who is still remembered in the district with due respect.
Similarly, speaking in the same programme, NCP standing committee member Haribol Gajurel said that Azad had the similarities between saying and doing.
Martyr Devkota’s spouse Goma Devkota lamented that the dreams of the martyrs were not fulfilled so far.
The book has incorporated the write-ups of Prime Minister and NCP chair Oli, NCP senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, DPM Pokharel, senior communist leader Mohan Bikram Singh among other notable leftist thinkers. -Prakash Silwal
