Kathmandu: Leaders of the Newa community have strongly voiced their support for federalism, republicanism, secularism, proportional representation, and inclusive democracy, rejecting calls for the abolition of federalism and the restoration of monarchy and a Hindu nation-state.

In a joint statement issued Thursday, prominent Newa leaders, including Malla K. Sundar, Hitkar Bir Singh Kansakar, and Prof. Dr. Nareshman Bajracharya, emphasized that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multilingual, multicultural, and multi-religious country. They criticized the old feudal monarchy for erasing the country's diversity and oppressing both the Newa community and other marginalized groups socially, culturally, linguistically, and economically.

The statement comes amid rising activities by groups advocating for the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu nation-state. The Newa leaders expressed concern that reactionary forces are taking advantage of public dissatisfaction to push their agenda.

“The Newa community has noticed that efforts are being made to mobilize reactionary forces that seek to abolish federalism and reinstate the monarchy. These elements are exploiting public disenchantment for their interests,” the statement read.

The Newa community has urged the government and political parties to curb such regressive activities and address the concerns of the Newa people and the general public. They called for the full implementation of federalism, secularism, and democratic republican values to build an inclusive society that represents all communities fairly.