Nepal Grapples with 'Guided Republic' Amidst Institutional Challenges

Yesterday, on Jestha 15, we celebrated Republic Day in various ways. As we marked the 19th Republic Day, the glory of the republic resonated not only in Kathmandu's Tundikhel and provincial capitals but also from the streets to the parliament, from radio to reels. However, amidst that resonance, a serious and thought-provoking question occasionally arises among ordinary citizens and then fades away – is the republic we are practicing truly citizen-centric? Or is the country gradually falling into the trap of a 'guided republic'?

On the eve of Republic Day, the day before yesterday, a friend's similar question disturbed the thoughts of this writer.