Tributes To Great Martyrs

Parmeshwar Devkota

The nation marks the 72nd Democracy Day today. On this very day of 1951, Nepali people established democracy and became free citizens by eliminating the Rana oligarchy. To achieve that political goal, many brave Nepalis had fought against the autocratic regime and attained martyrdom. They were courageous and visionary people who sacrificed their lives for bringing about desired changes in the society.  

In the political history of the Federal Republic Nepal, there are three generations of martyrs. Baldev Shah and Bir Lakhan Thapa Magar are regarded as the martyrs of first generation. Their organisational skills, bravery and commitments were unmatchable.  The list of second generation martyrs was inspired by the work of Tulsi Mehar. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, Tulsi Mehar began Charka aandolan (loom movement) in 1930. But he was imprisoned and the loom movement was banned. 

Similarly, Jogbir Singh, Hare Krishna Shrestha and 43 other youths were planning to request the Rana rulers to open a library, but they all were arrested and fined Rs. 100 each. It is called Pustakalaya Parva (Library Incident). Prachanda Gorkha was Nepal's first political party. Formed in 1931, the party aimed at overthrowing the Rana regime and establishing a just state. Captain Khadgaman Singh Basnet had conceived it. Main Bahadur, Umesh Bikram Shah, Ranganth Sharma and Chandra Bikram Shah were other members of the party. They had planned to murder all the Ranas in the single spot on Bhai Tika by exploding dynamites. 

But the plan was disclosed by Laxman Raja, who was serving as an agent of the Rana rule. So they all were imprisoned and tortured severely. Khadgaman Singh and Main Bahadur died in the jail. In 1936, some enthusiastic youths opened a school-- Mahabir School -- at Krishna Tole in Kathmandu. Teaching-learning activities at the school started in 1937. But, in 1940, Ranas not only arrested the 28 youths on charge of opening the school, but also jailed all of them. A person named Chiniyaman died in the jail.

Similarly, Madhav Raj Joshi, Shukraraj Shastri and nineteen other youths opened an organisation called Nepali Nagarik Adhikar Samiti at Ason in 1937. But all of them were supressed mercilessly. Though the Rana regime was callously dreadful and merciless, the wise and brave people of that period went on organising and opening institutions 

against it. 

 At the initiative of Dasharath Chand and Tanka Prasad Acharya, a political organisation called Nepal Praja Parishad was opened at the residence of Dharma Bhakta Mathema at Om Bahal in 1938. As the organisation became effective, a bounty of Rs. 5,000 was declared on each head and arrests began in 1940. Shukraraj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Dasharath Chand and Gangalal Shrestha were arrested. In the presence of the then King Tribhuvan, a special court declared that they were all treasonists. 

Then King Tribhuvan gave consent by pressing five fingers on the paper on the 19th of January 1941. According to the consent of the King, Shukraraj Shastri was hung at Teku on 23rd of January 1941. Dharma Bhakta Mathema was hung on 25th of January and Dasharath Chand and Gangalal Shrestha were shot dead at Shobha Bhagawati. 

Challenging the atrocities of the Ranas, another political organisation called Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Rastriya Congress was formed on October 3, 1946. The first convention was held on January 25-26, 1947 at Bhawanipur of Calcutta. B.P. Koirala was elected the acting president of the party. Planning, coordination, and strike the against the Rana regime were perfectly revolutionary, enabling the nation to usher in democracy.