Kathmandu, January 11

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today said that the problem due to the Tarai agitation was heading towards solution.

“Many things have been heading towards solution and a positive environment has gradually developed. So, we should not be dragged by wrong and misleading comments of a few persons,” Oli said at a tea party organised by Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal on the occasion of the 294th birth anniversary of Prithvi Narayan Shah, who constructed an integrated Nepal.

Oli expressed concern about the misleading comments on his statements without making judgments of the performance of the government.

Making a sarcastic comment on former king Gyanendra’s statement yesterday that he had not left Nepal although he had left palace by respecting the people’s aspiration, Oli said, “Those who quit palaces can live in Nepal in democracy.

It is not appropriate to project a feudal system as better than the democracy.”

Stating that it did not mean that the relevance of things that were done in the past did not have relevancy in the republic system, Oli said, “The relevance of Mahabharat that was written with a pen had not vanished although we have laptops and computers now.”

Commenting on Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur’s recent statement that Nepal was still in an infant stage, Oli said, “Are the mountains infant? Are hills toddlers?”

Former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, talking to reporters at the same function, said that he respected Prithvi Narayan Shah for unifying Nepal. “Nepal was unified under his leadership and it was a historic step.

His contribution in building Nepal as a nation was unforgettable. So, we all should respect his contribution,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and RPP-N Chairman Kamal Thapa claimed that it was agreed before promulgation of the new constitution that a public holiday would be announced on Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birth anniversary immediately after promulgation of the statute.

“Despite the agreement, it was not implemented and this is condemnable. Our party will put more pressure to make the government formally celebrate the day and announce public holiday on the occasion,” Thapa said.

Although the leaders of various parties had agreed to celebrate Prithvi Narayan’s anniversary, they are reluctant to take the decision formally, he said.