The CPN-UML today observed the 33th Madan- Ashrit Memorial Day by organizing a program at the party's central office in Madanagar, Balkhu.
Jestha 3 in the Nepali calendar marks the death anniversary of communist leaders Madan Bhandari and Jibraj Ashrit who were killed after a jeep they were travelling in plunged into the Trirshuli River in Dasdhunga of Chitwan on May 16, 1993 (Jestha 3, 2050 BS).
Bhandari was the then general secretary of UML and Ashrit was the chief of the organizational department.
Former President and spouse of the late Bhandari, Bidya Devi Bhandari, vice chairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Gokarna Raj Bista, general secretary Shankar Pokhrel, leaders Kesab Badal, Yubaraj Gyawali, Amrit Kumar Bohora and Astalaxmi Shakya were among those who visited the party headquarters to pay tributes to the late leaders.
In his condolence message, party chair KP Sharma Oli called on the party rank and file to move ahead by recognizing the ideologies, contributions and struggles of the late leaders.
Meanwhile, party vice chair Bishnu Prasad Paudel urged people in the party line to present themselves before the citizens with a spirit of self-criticism, acknowledging past shortcomings.
During his address at a program commemorating the 33rd Madan-Ashrit Memorial Day, he stressed that the UML should be determined to regain the public trust and its decisive presence in national politics.
He wanted the party leaders and cadres to properly assimilate the spirit of people's multi-party democracy.
"The communist movement has reached the most challenging juncture in history and in a defensive phase. It is already late for us to make an objective analysis of whether we have been rightly guided by the people's multiparty democracy spirit," he underscored.
