KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, addressing the nation during a formal Republic Day celebration at Tundikhel today, said that Nepal’s republican system was not gifted but earned through immense sacrifice and relentless struggle by the people. He called for unity, vigilance, and collective responsibility to strengthen and institutionalize the federal democratic republic.

“This is a special day for all of us,” Prime Minister Oli declared. “It was on this day in 2008 (Jestha 15, 2065 BS) that Nepal abolished monarchy and embraced a democratic republic after decades of tireless struggle and the sacrifices of thousands of brothers and sisters.”

He emphasized that the establishment of a republican system was not the result of a royal decree, but the collective decision made by the people. “We dismantled the old order where commands flowed from the crown, and we established a new system governed by the people’s will,” Oli said.

The Prime Minister extended heartfelt gratitude to all political leaders, civil servants, security personnel, the judiciary, civil society, the media, and the general public for their contributions to the establishment and consolidation of the republic. He paid tribute to the martyrs of the people’s movement and honored those who were injured or disabled during the struggle.

Recalling the autocratic past, Oli said that the younger generation today may not remember the “dark nights” before the dawn of the republic—when thoughts were censored, telephones were silenced, and media was restricted. “Today’s youth who freely express opinions on social media may only have heard stories about how even mobile phones were shut down during authoritarian times,” he noted.

He pointed out that Nepal’s present democratic structure, in which people elect over 36,000 representatives from ward members to the President through inclusive processes, stands in sharp contrast to the past where village and district leaders were handpicked by royal decree.

“In a republic, public institutions are monitored, and citizens become judges,” Oli said, referring to transparency and media scrutiny as essential tools against corruption. He also warned that forces nostalgic for authoritarian rule are now attempting to discredit today’s transparency by glorifying the past’s secrecy. “They try to portray the openness of democracy as dirty while painting the past’s dirt as clean,” he warned.

The Republic Day event featured a military parade, cultural displays, and participation by top state dignitaries, including President Ramchandra Paudel, Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, ministers, lawmakers, diplomats, and members of the public. The national anthem rang through the air as flower petals were dropped from a Nepal Army helicopter.

This year marks the 18th Republic Day since Nepal officially transitioned to a federal democratic republic in 2008, ending 240 years of monarchy. Celebrations were held nationwide with rallies, public gatherings, and remembrance events.