KATHMANDU: A ‘Black Day’ is being observed nationwide today to protest the overthrow of Nepal’s first democratically elected government and parliament, which occurred with the support of the then Royal Nepali Army.
Nearly 65 years ago, on Poush 1, 2017 BS, King Mahendra arrested several popular leaders, including the first democratically elected Prime Minister BP Koirala, and dissolved the parliament. He then introduced the party-less Panchayat political system in the country.
BP Koirala and other leaders were arrested while attending a program organized by Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth wing of the Nepali Congress.
They were imprisoned for three months in Singha Durbar and then in Sundarijal.
During their imprisonment, BP Koirala and his fellow leaders were confined to a high-security area at the residence of a senior Nepal Army official in Sundarijal.
This location became widely known as ‘Bandi Griha’ (detainee home) after their incarceration.
While in prison, BP Koirala authored several literary works, including “Doshi Chasma” and a range of short stories.
His time in Sundarijal proved to be a boon for his literary career, and he credited numerous significant works to Nepali literature.
BP’s writings are particularly notable for incorporating Freudian libidinal psychology into his novels and fiction.
During his detention in Sundarijal, BP Koirala wrote “Shwetbhairabi”, a collection of stories and novels, including Ama Ra Chhora, Sumnima, Teen Ghumti, and Hitler Ra Yahudi.
His biographical works such as “Atmakatha”, “Atmabritanta”, “Jail Journal”, and “Feri Sundarijal” are also widely recognized both in Nepal and internationally.
Along with BP Koirala, other prominent leaders such as Speaker Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, and ministers and party leaders Ganeshman Singh, Surya Prasad Upadhyay, Diwan Singh Rai, Ra Narayan Mishra, and Yogendraman Sherchan were detained in Sundarijal following the coup orchestrated by the monarch on Poush 1.
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