Kathmandu, June 26 :

Student leaders today stressed the need for participation of youth and people while formulating draft of the interim statute.

“The people should formulate the interim constitution rather than the seven-party alliance and Maoists,” said Gagan Thapa, a student leader. “It has to be inclusive with the representation from the people of various walks of life,” said Thapa.

The interaction on constituent assembly and the role of youth was organised by the United Youth for World Peace. “The end of monarchy, that is the crux of the Jana Andolan II should be included in the constituent assembly,” said Thapa. Thapa said that there is a need for a discussion about the constituent assembly.

Ram Kumari Jhakri, publicity chief at the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), said the constituent assembly alone cannot solve all problems. “There is a need of political commitment to bring the mandate of the movement in the constituent assembly,” said Jhakri. “All the outcome of the movement should be institutionalized.”

She said there should be transparency about the so-called “confidential summit talk.”

Lekhnath Neupane, president of ANNISU-R, said the constituent assembly should address the right to self-determination, autonomous and federal system. “The student bodies should work hard to ensure that the constituent assembly should not become an ‘unfulfilled promise’ as that of 1950. The student bodies should warn the political leaders who tries to compromise on the agendas set by Jana Andolan II,” said Neupane.

Khimalal Bhattarai, president of ANNFSU, said end of monarchy and peace is the only agenda of the movement.

Kishore Singh Rathore, chairman of Nepal Students Union close to Nepali Congress (Democratic), said the state still has not been able to address youths of the nation.