Kathmandu, May 27:

Nepali Congress leader Narahari Acharya today said there is no need to hold discussions

on the announcement of a republican set-up as Nepal has already entered into such a system sans the king.

“Discussions on the topic is not necessary at all because the system we have in place today is nothing but a republic as the king has already surrendered power, which the Shah dynasty enjoyed for the past 238 years, to the people,” he said, addressing a programme at Media Mission.

The mentality of the political leaders should change and the transformation of thoughts is necessary to welcome the republican set-up in the country,” he said.

There should be a federal republican system of governance. It should not be a totalitarian one, which deprives people of basic democratic rights, he said.

He was of the view that federalism is unavoidable, but “giving autonomy on the basis of ethnicity is not possible.”

He said the slogan of “One Madhesh, One State” was not practical because there are many cultural diversities and economic disparities among different ethnic groups in the Tarai itself.

Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma said the republican system in Nepal would not be a copy

of that in Russia, the USA or any other country because “Nepal has some special characteristics.”

“The republic of Nepal is going to be special — it will take into consideration Nepal’s cultural, ethnic, language, gender and other diversity,” he said.

He also ruled out any possibility of accepting monarchy as in England, Spain or any other country because Nepal’s royal dynasty is based on the old feudal mentality.

“There are a lot of things that need to be changed, apart from the political system, to build a real new Nepal. One of them is the general mentality of the leaders,” he said.

UML leader and former minister Pradip Gyawali stressed the need of considering the vertical and horizontal diversity of Nepali regions and culture while establishing a new Nepal.