PM stresses consensus‚ says but not thru coercion

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala launched Indra Adhikari’s book Military and Democracy in Nepal. Addressing the book launching, prime minister Koirala said that there still was a scope of consensus to promulgate the new constitution, but the Constituent Assembly would follow the due process if the parties failed to forge it.

But consensus is a matter of give-and-take also, according to him. He portrayed it as a win-win situation, and said, “Consensus cannot happen through coercion.”

Mentioning that the parties had resolved many complicated issues in the past and during the peace process also, Koirala expressed his hope that they would succeed in promulgating the new constitution as promised to the people.

On the occasion, Koirala admired the Nepal Army, saying it was a disciplined and professional institution and posed no threat to the democratisation ion of the country.

“We are being undisciplined, and not the Nepal Army.”“We make promises but fail to meet them. We agreed to deliver a democratic constitution, but why has it been so difficult?” he stated.

Professor Dhruba Kumar and Retired Lt. General of Nepal Army Balananda Sharma discussed on the book. Professor Dr. Lok Raj Baral gave vote of thanks on the part of chair.