Poush 1 : Black Day ?

Sixty years ago, King Mahendra took the leadership on 1 Poush 2017 (15 December 1960) to keep intact Nepal's sovereignty boycotting the Indian intervention. But, since 2006, Nepal's condition is very bad. Nepal is captured by the leaders of Congress, UML, and Maoists, who are guided by the Indian Intelligence Agency-RAW and EU. So, due to the Indian nefarious intervention, Nepal's sovereignty is degrading day by day. Now- it is the actual time to analyze the steep of King Mahendra sixty years ago- 2017 BS 1st Paush, and have to act to save Nepal's sovereignty. 

 

A Swiss geologist and scholar, Toni Hagen first came in 1950 as a member of the Swiss Mission for Development Aid. His first job was to conduct Nepal's first geological survey. About the reality of the Nepalese politics and the intention of King Mahendra, he said- 'I call back December 1960 when King Mahendra staged the royal coup. I never agreed with King Mahendra on this step. On the other hand, I would say looking back into the history that King Mahendra was a very great personality. It is mainly for his merit that Nepal survived as an independent country between two big neighbors. He was very clever and handled dedicated issues.' 25 Nov.1992- Weekly newspaper- The Independent'

 

Due to the unnecessary Indian intervention, the position of Nepal's sovereignty was in danger. The great King Prithbinarayan Shah unified the greater Nepal-1768 and King Mahendra contributed to unite the modern Nepal-1960. What the then king Mahendra did on 1 Poush 2017 (15 December 1960) for the prosperity of prosperous, sovereign Nepal and Nepalese is immortal in the history of nationalism. Before 1960, foreigners were free to purchase land in Nepal. After 1961, king Mahendra banned foreigners from purchasing Nepalese land. The Nepali language was continued as a national language across the nation. Before 1960, 90% of Indian currency notes were in use which was removed and the use of Nepali currency was made compulsory. Our pride was restored. King Mahendra without any condition asked the Indian force deployed for the security of Nepal to leave. 

 

People were compelled to walk through Indian roads to move from one Nepali district to another. In 1961, King Mahendra laid the foundation for East-West Highway at Gailakot to free the people of Indian torment. People were compelled to walk through Indian roads to move from one Nepali district to another. King Mahendra is dedicated to building an East-West Highway, about 1000 KM long. The impact of the Highway has been greatly contributed to the all-round socio-economic development issues. A scholar GS Agrawal writes-'The nation has honored the visionary king by naming it Mahendra Rajmarg. In 1961, King Mahendra laid the foundation for East-West Highway at Gailakot to free the people of Indian torment. Nepal has unified under the king Prithbinarayan Shah some two centuries ago. The real integration was completed in 1982 AD. 

 

King Mahendra incorporated the phrase ‘Hindu Kingdom’ in the constitution upgrading the morale of India and Hindus all over the world. His work increased Nepal's prestige. He introduced Nepal to the United Nations by adopting the ideology of foreign policy. He maintained a balanced friendship with Chinese powerful leader Mao Ze Dong and Indian powerful Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. King Mahendra introduced more than 50 industries and organizations that directly benefit the people, fulfilled the essential as education, health, transportation, roads construction, irrigation, electricity. On 17 August, 1963 the late King introduced the Muluki Ain (people's code) and made attempt to break untouchables, caste discrimination, and policy of gender discrimination. 

 

In 1965 he declared the land reform act and abolished landlords, secured the right of farmers by ending the Birta system. King Mahendra managed the way of active people's participation in the development sectors from the grass root levels He divided Nepal into 14 administrative zones with 75 districts in it. However, the king had not divided the country based on ethnicity or the origin of people residing in the respective zones or districts which is not possible even today. There were more than 4000 villages every village was divided into nine wards and 35 municipalities whose wards were divided 9-35, vary as per the size of the town. That is why he is immortal. 

 

King Mahendra did a lot to give Nepal a separate identity in the international arena. The administrative mechanism of 14 zones and 75 districts are still very scientific and significant. Decentralization of power to every zone by appointing zonal commissioners; introduction of revolutionary land reform policy; the start of the construction of the East-West highway without any budget; the opening of branches of Nepal Rastra Bank in districts and restricting Indian currency in the market by supplying Nepali currency; the opening of schools and colleges in different parts of the country and establishment of the Tribhuwan University is the landmark contributions made by King Mahendra. Furthermore, he encouraged Nepali artists, Nepali singers, and Nepali littérateurs. Ratna Recording Sansthan was established to facilitate Nepali artists Otherwise Nepali artists had to travel to Calcutta for recording songs. 

 

An analyst Khagendra Thapa notes- 'King Mahendra's role was in leading the country towards reforms and development. He introduced revolutionary land reforms that granted land ownership to millions of poor farmers. King Mahendra had introduced a progressive legal system to abolish case discrimination and eliminate untouchability. He established a number of industries, most of which today's selfish leaders have either privatized or close down. Mahendra helped establish universities, colleges, and schools across the country to lay the foundation for education development. Likewise, he had the East-West Highway constructed, which was instrumental in connecting different parts of the country.'  

 

King Mahendra provided certain funds to make the Nepali film Maitighar. King Mahendra was a courageous and visionary leader who contributed a lot to the development of Nepal in all sectors. He invited travel trade entrepreneurs from foreign countries to develop the tourism sector; he established the Royal Nepal Airlines to boost the tourism industry; he invited many Nepalese settled in India and other countries to serve in Nepal. He started the industrialization of Nepal by requesting friendly countries to establish different industries in the country. Despite pressures from India, he was able to maintain balanced relations with India and other friendly nations. When King Mahendra passed away in 2028 BS, I was a student in eighth grade. Nevertheless, I had acquired information about king Mahendra by studying history and also by interviewing different personalities who had the opportunity to work with king Mahendra. King Mahendra was a nationalist. His one poem “Ma marepani mero desh bachirahosh” (My country must live even if I die) is enough to understand him'-Pushpa Raj Pradhan.

 

If we try to understand the character of the king Mahendra, the truth can be realized on intellectual, experiential, and existential levels. The consciousness, thoughts, realization, and feelings are the creations of the national existence. The definition of nationality is the way of life of identity. An analyst Dr. Arun Shrivastava expresses- 'The late King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shahdev, who ruled Nepal from 1956 to 1972, who had the perspicacity to understand the vital geopolitical compulsions of being Nepal. He knew in 1958 that it’d be dangerous for his country if he allowed the big powers to interfere in Nepal’s internal affairs. Insiders say that when an American [US Government sponsored] foundation was ousted from Nepal, the then Secretary-General of the UNO Kurt Waldheim personally threatened the Nepalese Government that ‘all international assistance would be withdrawn.’ Despite these threats, King Mahendra largely maintained neutrality, although leaned towards China for reasons that were made clear to the Indian Government.'

 

At the time when King Mahendra passed away on 11 February 1972 Nepali Congress leader and former minister Dinbandhu Aryal was with BP Koirala at Banaras. He has written that BP Koirala was very concerned when the news of the demise of the King came. He writes- 'BP could not sleep the whole night, after receiving the news of the demise of His Majesty Mahendra. When BP said that King Mahendra was a great nationalist king he must have forgotten the injustice he was forced to face. BP understood the difference between the royal institution and the King as an individual. BP used to tell us of the answer Prithvinarayan gave his brothers, who had sought to divide the kingdom, that the nation was not a thing to be divided among brothers. He expressed his belief in December 1976 that the road to democracy should be had with reconciliation with the monarch on the belief that Nepal’s kings can contribute to modernization, and in consideration of the contribution of His Majesty Tribhuvan in the revolution of 1950. In 1976 he had that belief and was effortful in bringing the King to tread the path of democracy and this was the essence of national unity and reconciliation'– (Punarjagaran). His statement shows the amity that existed between King Mahendra and BP Koirala.  

 

All sides may agree with BP’s ideologies that came after 1976. There is no alternative to move ahead in unison between King Mahendra’s nationalism and BP’s democratic socialism. The country is standing on the verge of dismemberment in the last 10 years.  When the relationship between the king and the people has been detached one can easily imagine, Nepal can't remain safe and unified if the monarchy is actually abolished from the country. 

 

Unfortunately, the politicians have learned no lesson from their past mistakes. To make no mistakes is not in the power of man, but from their errors and mistakes, that wise and good learn wisdom for the future. Constitutionalism is the way of the nation. But the founder of party leaders-Congress, UML, and the Maoists don't like the follow the norms of the constitution and existing laws. There is established anarchism by such destructive activities. The leaders of the Nepal Congress, UML, Maoists, and others don't like to improve their mistakes. The permanent institution- 'Monarchy' can put unites the cordial relation between Nepal, India, and China. In between the two big neighbors-China & India, the monarchy had been playing a balanced role. Nepalese monarchial system has been supporting-'One China policy'- Tibet as an integral part of China.

 

 Nepalese people do not want any kind of unconstitutional authoritarianism. They want only full democracy with political stability, peace, and good governance. Nepal could remain an independent and sovereign country only because of the monarchy. The monarchy was pivotal in integrating Nepal, establishing a democratic and just society at par with the modern world. But why are the political parties so averse and negative towards monarchy? There are indeed many countries that do not have a monarchy still they could remain independent and prosperous. Nepalese king has ever acted or walked on the path which is against Nepal's national interest. Gorkha was one country since ancient times. This country is the result of the unification of 54 small Hindu states formatting the only one Hindu kingdom in the world under the leadership of the monarchy. 

 

Therefore, this uncertain and precarious situation can only be averted if a balance can be maintained among nationality, monarchy, Hindu kingdom, and parliamentary democracy. Nepal's independence, sovereignty, and democracy can never be safeguarded by abolishing the monarchy. So, the only way would be the acceptance and restoration of the benevolent and people-oriented monarchy to end the existing crisis. Then, king Gyanendra must be on the throne, organizing through a broad conference and find a way out to solve the country's problem.