King Prithvi Narayan Shah remembered on Unity Day

The late king’s statue in front of the west gate of the Singha Durbar was garlanded by various dignitaries on the occasion amidst the paying of tributes and recalling his contribution to the national unification campaign resulting in what is Nepal today.Earlier, a procession along with a horse-drawn carriage with a huge portrait of the late King mounted on it went around different parts of the city before reaching the statue. The procession was organised by the Nepal Academy. The Nepalese Army, Nepal Police and Dhime Baja musicians as well as Nepal Scouts volunteers, intellectuals, social workers and litterateurs participated in the rally.

Deputy Prime Ministers Kamal Thapa and CP Mainali, Deputy Speaker Ganga Prasad Yadav, Nepal Academy Chancellor Ganga Prasad Uprety, former minister and acclaimed writer Modnath Prashrit, among other dignitaries attended the garlanding ceremony.

Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Lokendra Bahadur Chand, leaders Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani also garlanded the late king’s statue.

Addressing the function, Deputy Prime Minister Thapa rued that his efforts to have this day declared as the national holiday and celebrated as a national festival by a decision of the government could not become successful.

Deputy Prime Minister Mainali said he takes the voices coming from the public that the late king Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birthday should be celebrated as the National Unity Day as the expression of patriotism and national integrity.

Chancellor Uprety, and RPP chairman Chand and leaders Rana and Lohani eulogised the late king and laying the foundation for the unification of the country amidst the onslaught of the powerful colonial empire and saved the small principalities from falling under the clutches of colonialism.

They said, not only the late king unified the country but he was an astute ruler and his economic and foreign policies are still pragmatic.