President Bidya Devi Bhandari graced a special function organized at the Army Pavilion (tundikhel) to mark the Republic Day 2016 on Saturday morning. Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker Onsari Gharti, Acting Chief Justice Sushila Karki and other distinguished personalities also attended the function. Addressing the function, Prime Minister Oli said today was a day of important achievement with the establishment of republic as the cornerstone of social justice and equality, and by doing away with the monarchy based on unscientific principle of supremacy by birth. "We should take the republic day today as an epochal time when the foundation of a people-oriented and democratic system of governance was laid to build a modern Nepal", he said. Stating that the constitution was promulgated through the people-elected Constituent Assembly on September 20, 2015 as a result of the Nepali people's struggle since 1951, Prime Minister Oli said the constitution is thereby a recognition of the long struggle and sacrifices by the Nepali people, and has institutionalized the achievements made through those struggles. "The new constitution has not only granted equal rights to all Nepalis, but also guarantees socio-economic, cultural as well as political rights".Prime Minister Oli said, "This progress can be advanced at speed, we can strengthen the political achievements including democratic republic set up and make it prosperous." He also renewed his appeal to all to continue engagement in the effort to resolve the problems through dialogue and underscored the fact that differences in political views including other disagreements could be resolved through dialogue and negotiations. The Prime Minister referenced the act of beating of the mattress to clear the dust, liking it to the government's overcoming the mega crisis emanating from the earthquake-triggered massive destruction, agitation, strikes and supply management crisis, and added it was now working to reconstruct and rebuild. "The present government is committed to protecting and consolidating peace, democracy, social justice and equality, sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and country's interest and self-dignity," PM asserted. He stressed on the need for national unity, resoluteness and extensive effort to use Nepal's natural resources and heritages correctly, so as to usher in prosperity. He wished that all would be motivated to that end on the occasion of the Republic Day. At the ceremony Nepal Army helicopter showered flowers and made a flyover with a banner reading 'Republic Day, 2073'. Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF), representatives of the district development committees, municipalities, sport associations, athletes and locals made a march-past, and took out processions and parades evoking various cultures, traditions, dances and musical instruments. On the occasion, the President among special dignitaries released pigeons taken as the symbol of peace. Following the success of the people's uprising in 2006, the first elected Constituent Assembly's first meeting on May 28, 2008 had declared Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. RSS