The elevated role of martyrs in shaping a nation and its people’s fate always draws commendation from all and sundry. The martyrs, who do not dither in sacrificing their lives for the larger good of their nations and people by taking on the tyrannical rulers, realised that the causes they had espoused to sacrifice their lives would not go in vain. The people, for whose betterment the martyrs selflessly offered their life, always hold them in high esteem. The nation recognises their sacrifices by following the path the greatly revered martyrs have set for them.

In our country, many noted and unknown martyrs have sacrificed their life for ending oppressive rules. Because of their sacrifice, the nation has arrived this far. Owing to our revered martyrs, the people and the nation can enjoy the fruit of freedom by exercising all kinds of democratic rights in the nation. We have come across many of our martyrs who have fought against the tyranny of different rulers to help guide the nation and people out of all forms of dictatorship and suppression. Without their much-required sacrifice, the people might still have faced various troubles at the hands of several rulers having autocratic tendencies.

Many persons who have wanted to do good for the nation and people have attained martyrdom in our country while fighting against the tyrannical rulers and systems. Among them, four martyrs, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Shukra Raj Shastri, Dashrath Chand and Ganga Lal Shrestha stand apart for freeing the nation from the tyranny of the Rana rulers by laying down their lives. For commemorating their sacrifice, the nation marks the National Martyr Day every year on Magh 16 in the Nepali lunar calendar. While paying tribute to our martyrs, the Prime Minister the other day said the sacrifice of martyrs has empowered the people and contributed to the institutionalisation of democracy.

The PM noted that the incomparable sacrifice of martyrs is behind every success, development and progress of our country and the government would work as per the aspirations espoused by the great martyrs, who would be remembered forever for their every contribution. The sacrifice of our martyrs to emancipate the nation and its people are the acts that have put the nation on the right course. Without them, the country might not have fought tooth and nail against the authoritarian rulers. The sacrifice of our noted rebels, who attained martyrdom while raising their voice against them and leading the people’s rebellion against the brutal rule of despots, paved the success of revolution against the autocratic Ranas and Shah rulers.

Our nation has now become a federal democratic republic, with sovereign power vested in people. The journey from arbitrary rule to present time became possible largely due to the benevolence and die-hard stance of our martyrs who did not waver in laying down their lives to oust the despotic rulers from their seats and thrones to help herald a new dawn in the nation’s political, economic and social spheres. People could retain all forms of freedom and rights because of the contributions of our martyrs. Our nation and we, the people, must therefore salute our martyrs for upholding the lofty goals of liberating the nation from the clutches of dictatorial rulers at the cost of their valuable life.