Kathmandu, September 1 :

Lawmakers and party leaders today expressed mixed reaction over the performance of the government after it came to power following the Jana Andolan II.

Addressing a programme organised by the Nepal Intellectual Council in the capital, UML lawmaker Dilli Raj Khanal and intellectual Bhim Neupane said the May 18 Declaration of the House of Representatives, efforts to bring the Nepali Army under the government and steps taken for peace with the Maoists were some major achievements of the government. They, however, said, much needs to be done on the socio-economic sector.

They further said that the government was working in a traditional manner and did nothing concrete to restructure the centralised feudal state that is in place for the past 237 years.

Janamorcha Nepal lawmaker Nawaraj Subedi said the main task of the government is to bring an end to the Nepali people’s contradiction with the centralised feudal system led by the monarchy. However, the government failed to take action against military generals who played key roles in suppressing the Jana Andolan II, he said. Subedi said the King had assumed power and suppressed the movement on the strength of the army, which is still loyal to the monarchy.

CPN-UML central committee member Shankar Pokharel said the government’s main responsibilities were to end Nepali people’s conflict with monarchy once and for all, restore lasting peace in the country by holding talks with the Maoists, conduct elections to a constituent assembly and bring about socio-economic restructuring of the state. Stating that the government was partially successful in some areas, he said much more needs to be done to achieve its set goals.