
- Prof. Purushottam Dahal
Plans were made for a rally near Dharahara. Everyone who had been freed from imprisonment gathered. Others also arrived. A crowd of perhaps three or four thousand individuals gathered. Ananda Acharya (Dharan), a prominent member of the Nepal Students' Union, was among those in attendance. He delivered a speech and led the rally. It was a very impressive speech. We then arranged a gathering at New Road, Indrachowk, Asan, and Ratna Park.
A demonstration of about one hundred people, led by Balkrishna Poudel took place against that demonstration and loudly shouted slogans that students should not engage in politics, accusing the Nepal Students' Union of politicizing and politicizing student demands. Radio Nepal prominently reported the news of the Balkrishna Poudel-led rally.
I had to rush off to produce a news piece about the Chaubis Kothi event in Chitwan for the Nepal Times national daily. When I returned, the students had began a discourse with the king's royal commission. For unclear reasons, the Congress leadership dismissed Benupraj Prasai and Shiva Bhurtel, the Nepal Students' Union's leaders, and sent them to negotiations led by Bal Bahadur KC. I also served in Benup and Shivaji's movement mobilization committee.
Bal Bahadur KC of the Nepali Sangh, Sharan Bikram Malla of Pragatisheel, and Kailash Karki of the Federation took part in the negotiations. The discussions were successful, and all requests were satisfied, but the so-called revolutionary communists seemed hostile to the arrangement. The collaboration between Mandalas and Masal, Mashal, etc. was unparalleled.
On the second day of the agreement, a large procession of supporters, and dissenters affiliated with the communist parties gathered in Kirtipur and surrounded Bal Bahadur KC, Kailash Karki, and Sharan Bikram Malla, then began touring the city with the intention of covering them with black paint, tying them with shoe garlands, and putting them in a cart to be killed. Kailash Karki fled, but Sharan Bikram and Bal Bahadur KC were transported to the city from Kirtipur after being battered in a cart. We were visiting Gangadhar Lamsal's residence in Nayabazar at the time. The companions who delivered the news cautioned everyone not to leave the room.
Later, it was discovered that when it was decided to take Bal Bahadurji somewhere in a cart and kill him, it was union’s friends like Pradeepman Singh, Harishchandra Piya, Tilak Kunwar, Basant Budhathoki, and Arjun Prasad Joshi who brought him in a cart and secured him. That incident seemed very mysterious. There were reports that certain members of the Russian Communist Party and Congress were also involved in the event. Following the event, violent student leaders such as Ballabh Pradhan arose within the union.
That chaotic procession reached New Road's gate and set fire to RNAC (now NAC), as well as Gorkhapatra Sansthan. That evening, on 10th Jestha 2036, King Birendra declared a referendum on whether to choose a non-party Panchayat system or a multi-party system. Since the monarch acknowledged the multi-party system as an option for the first time under the so-called non-party, non-alternative system, the question of how to take advantage of this chance arose over the next year. Tanka Prasad Acharya, Rishikesh Shah, Dilli Raman Regmi, Dr. KI Singh, and Manmohanji highlighted five problems and asked that the preconditions be met; nevertheless, BP prioritized the referendum over the preconditions.
After it was possible to campaign in favor of a multi-party system, we jointly organized a general meeting for multi-party system in Sanskrit Hostel with Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Communist leader Manmohan Adhikari. Inside the hostel, there was a large playing area for football and volleyball. There was also a stage. My friends had assigned me the task of delivering both a speech and a welcoming address. I spoke boldly on the necessity for multi-party politics.
The gathering on Jestha 27th, 2036, was scheduled to coincide with the commencement of the Congress Communist united campaign. The Nepal Students' Union sponsored Manmohan's talks throughout the year, as instructed by BP. The message that the Communists supported multi-party politics was given when Manmohan Adhikari, Sahana Pradhan, and Bishnu Bahadur stood up.
During the multi-party campaign, I visited Okhaldhunga. I met with dignitaries in my hamlet, Bigutar, and persuaded them to support multiparty politics. Pandit Phanindramani Dahal (uncle), the panchayat's leader, agreed instantly, and a multi-party campaign committee was constituted. Chandralal Dahal received the support and aid, but as a teacher, he was urged not to join in the campaign. Chandralal Kaka was intended to continue his studies till Bigutar's first graduation. Surendra Prasad Dahal, Dhundiraj Dahal, Gopi Krishna Sapkota, Buddinath Dahal, Giriraj Khatiwada, and Cholaraj Dahal had already graduated or were in the process of doing so. Pitamber Dahal's brother, Punya Prasad, was a JTA. Since he was an employee, he too could not participate in the campaign.
The campaign committee formed under the chairmanship of Phanindramani Dahal. Although Phanindramani Dahal was the campaign coordinator, Harilal Dahal and Bholanath Dahal refused to sit on the committee.
Chandrakant Dahal has also come from Madhesh. Some of them, including Bal Bahadur Rai and Prof. Pitambar Dahal, had gone to Morang or Murtiya for farming since they had received land in the name of political victims. However, since they had to work in favor of the multi-party system, they immediately returned to the district.
After reaching Okhaldhunga, Chandrakant Daai granted me membership in the Nepali Congress Party. Perhaps Chandrakant Daai was the Congress' president or secretary at the time. Bal Bahadur Rai, Chandrakant Dahal, and Lok Bahadur Gurung are all regarded martyrs in Okhaldhunga's history. However, in the context of the armed movement, the names Bhairab Rai, Gopal Rai, Balaraj Karki, Mahesh Kormocha, Prithvi Bahadur Karki, Bhim Bahadur Adhikari, Parashuram Adhikari, Rudra Dahal, Hem Prasad Dahal, Prithvi Bahadur Karki, and Tanka Karki are remembered. I joined the Nepal Students' Union in 2031 and the Nepali Congress in 2036.
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, the Nepali Congress politician who subsequently became President and Prime Minister, inaugurated the Nepal Students' Union in 2027 BS. The first President was Bipin Koirala, the second President was Sher Bahadur Deuba, and many other active founders were Daman Nath Dhungana, Ram Chandra Poudel, Chiranjivi Wagle, Pitambar Dahal, Arjun Narsingh KC, Birendra Bhakta Shrestha, Rajendra Kharel, Sheshnath Adhikari, Marshal Zulum Shakya, Homan Nath Dahal, Premnath Aryal, Devendra Nepali, Rajeshwor Acharya, Durga Pokhrel, Durga Acharya, Arjun Bahadur Khadka, Ram Sharan Mahat. These are the names that immediately come to mind and correspond to what I've read. Some may have been missed.
On the Dashain festival of 2036 BS, I became unwell while lobbying for a multi-party system. I even visited the hospital. Prior to being unwell, the Nepal Students' Union met formally at Rumjatar Secondary School in Okhaldhunga district. Chandrakant Dahal, Tirtharaj Thapa, Bhojraj Khanal, Devi Bahadur KC, Laxmi Prasad Pokharel, and Bhim Bahadur Gurud were all present. At the period, Nirvan Kumar Dahal, Uttar Kumar Katwal, Kedar Pokharel, Meghjung Karki, Madhu Ojha, and Bishwaraj Koirala were notable professors who taught in several secondary schools and preserved the Congress and the democratic movement in Okhaldhunga.
Rumjatar Secondary School Principal Dilram Lamichhane, instructor Karn Singh Gurung, Chyanam Principal Somnath Ghimire, Rampur's Balabhadra Dahal, Leelaballab Dahal, and Pushparaj Dahal all offered assistance. Rudra Dahal, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Prithvi Bahadur Karki, Sitaram Shrestha, and Gauri Narayan Baskota are still in my recollection. Duryodhan Giri was probably unable to attend. He is remembered for his contributions to Okhaldhunga's democratic movement.
Drona Prasad Pokharel, a student at Rumjatar Secondary School, served as the first formal founding president of the Nepal Students' Union in Okhaldhunga district. The members and office bearers were Mahendra Pokharel, Binod Dahal, Dharma Khanal, and Ram Prasad Dahal. I recall Phanindra Dahal, Mitrasen Dahal, and Rajan Dahal. Participating schools were Baruneshwor Mavi Rampur, Rumjatar Mavi, Okhaldhunga Mavi, Taluwa, Mamkha, Khanibhanjyang, and Chyanam. This was how the inaugural conference was planned, and I and other friends actively participated.
When I was unwell in Bigutar, word broke that the Congress party was being blackmailed in Okhaldhunga. It was discovered that the party's leaders, notably Prof. Pitambar Dahal and Bhojraj Khanal, who had launched a campaign in support of multi-party politics, were being beaten up in the market by independentists and garlanded with black and white shoes. They weren't scared. Pitambar Daju remained for a few days before returning to Birgunj.
I joined Chandrakant Dahal in visiting Kuntadevi village in Baruneshwor to advocate for multi-party politics. First, there was a program for meeting the martyr's family. When I met Thagiraj Dahal's wife and family members in Gairigaun, they were openly planning to enter multi-party politics. Then we proceeded to Jhagarpur Peshal Dahal's residence and spoke with the family members. We talked about multi-party politics, and they appeared scared.
Following that, we proceeded to see Rampur Khagendra Dahal's father, Dilli Prasad Dahal, and Leela Dahal's wife, Yashoda Dahal. Both of them were most likely at some level of the panchayat because of fear. Chandrakant Daju and I attempted to persuade them from numerous aspects, asking them to resign from their positions and join multi-party politics, but they were hesitant. It appears that they resigned from their positions in the last stages.
This is a translated version of an excerpt from Prof. Purushottam Dahal's unreleased book "Smriti Parikshya." Prof. Dahal is the Editor-in-Chief of the Himalaya Times National Daily.
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