Two martyrs of Dhanusha missing in martyrs’ list

By Vijay Kumar Sah,Dhalkebar, Feb.1: Martyrs' Week concluded on Wednesday, marking the end of a nationwide commemoration held from January 24 to January 30. The week honoured the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and rights of the country and its people.

The Martyrs Week was commemorated by organising various programmes to honour the contributions of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the Rana rule, the autocratic Panchayat system, and various rights-based and democratic movements thereafter. 

Despite the nationwide celebration of Martyrs' Day, there is a prevailing sentiment among locals that the state has neglected two martyrs from Dhanusha. Residents express sorrow over the oversight of the names of Ishwar Lama and Padam Lama, martyrs from Umaprempur in Dhanushadham Municipality-6, Dhanusha, from the official list of the martyrs.

Rajkumar Lama, the brother of Ishwar,  said that Ishwar and Padam's names were excluded from the list of martyrs due to their inability to reach the government. He mentioned that he has been urging the top leaders of political parties to facilitate meetings with residents, aiming to ensure the inclusion of both names in the list of martyrs.

According to him, both Ishwar and Padam were involved in the agitation against the panchayat system in 1985, during which the then panchayat rulers allegedly killed them and disposed of their bodies. They were participating in the Satyagraha movement initiated by the Nepali Congress in 1985 and were arrested on May 24 same year.

He mentioned that an investigation report regarding Ishwar Lama and Padam Lama indicates that the panchayat administration was responsible for their deaths, allegedly killing them and disposing of their bodies under the guise of arrest, transferring them to different camps, temporary jails and police offices.

Before that, Ishwar had been arrested and imprisoned for over six years for his involvement in the armed struggle waged by Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala in 1974. During that period, he was charged with a political case, under which one used to be served a life penalty or life imprisonment.

Ishwar was released from prison on April 13, 1980, following a general amnesty. Upon his release, top Congress leaders including BP Koirala, Ganesh Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, and Mahendra Narayan Nidhi worked tirelessly to strengthen the party organisation and broaden the movement.

A study report said that, after the death of BP Koirala in 1982, Ishwar was actively engaged in political campaigns in the district. During this period, he also served as an executive member of the working committee of the District Congress in Dhanusha.

Ishwar was 29 years old, and Padam was 30 years old when they were arrested by the Panchayat administration in 1985. Locals allege that their names were omitted from the list of martyrs due to a lack of accessibility.