Harka Raj Rai Sampanga, chairperson of the Shram Sanskriti Party, announced at a press conference in Dharan on Tuesday that the party’s core principle is “Harkabad”
Harkabad is the fundamental political philosophy that believes only through the policy and continuous practice of mandatory labor and labor contribution can scarcity, poverty, discrimination, and the conflicts, wars, destruction, and unrest arising from them be ended.”
Presenting the concept that all citizens will be actively involved in all forms of development through voluntary labor, he said, “We will end the unequal and unjust distribution of development carried out through access and power, and shift development from being Kathmandu-centered or city-centered to village-centered.”
Further clarifying Harkism, he stated that by planting labor in the stones and soil of this very country, the formula to yield a golden future with national independence, sovereignty, prosperity, happiness, and well-being is Harkabad itself.
According to the party’s concept paper, a scientific taxation system will be implemented. Under this policy, more will be taken from the rich to protect the poor.
It is also mentioned that necessary laws will be formulated to prioritize voluntary labor in physical development along with raising awareness and patriotism.
Sampanga, who is also the Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, presented the party’s concept of governance. He stated that there will be a directly elected executive president chosen through adult franchise.
According to his concept, the president will be able to form a government by appointing either subject experts from outside the political sphere or members of parliament. The president, with a five-year term, will serve as both the head of state and the head of government.
Sampanga also stated that the president and vice president will not be from the same gender or the same caste/ethnic community at the time of party nomination (though the final result will depend on the election outcome).
The party’s concept also states that when forming the government at the federal level, the president will create a proportional and inclusive government, and provincial chief ministers will also be directly elected, similar to local governments.
According to the concept, the party will adopt a fully proportional electoral system ensuring proportional representation and rights of Indigenous peoples, Janajati, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Dalit, Muslim, minority, and marginalized communities in all state organs.
The party envisions a bicameral legislature at the federal level and a unicameral legislature at the provincial level. Under the federal legislature, the National Assembly will provide equal representation to all provinces, and the House of Representatives will have fully proportional representation based on provincial population.
The concept paper also states that the state will have no official religion, but individuals will have freedom of religious belief. No one will be allowed to force religious conversion; doing so will be punishable.
The party’s agenda includes governance structure, sovereignty and state power, territorial integrity, non-aligned foreign policy, citizenship, legislature, fundamental rights and human rights, democratic values and norms, executive authority, provincial government structure, judiciary, secularism and freedom, multilingual policy, self-determination, self-governance and autonomy, a fully proportional electoral system, and national security system.
According to the party’s concept, the Gen Z generation will be engaged in production, construction, and innovation. A practical, life-oriented education system will be implemented with only three days of schooling per week, reducing subjects, textbooks, and academic workload.
