Kathmandu, December 31
Today, the Nepali Congress is celebrating the ”46th National Unity and Reconciliation Day” with various programs. Congress has not held a formal program for the National Unity and
Reconciliation Day this year. But leaders in different districts are planning to celebrate National Unity and Reconciliation Day.
Senior Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel, home district Tanahu and General Secretary
Bishwa prakash Sharma will participate in the program in Pokhara. Also, on the day, the
fraternal and well-wishers of the Nepali Congress are celebrating Unity and Reconciliation Day by organizing various programs across the country. On this occasion, wreaths will be laid at the BP Museum on the statues of BP, Ganesh Man and other leaders.
What is Reconciliation Day?
The Nepali Congress (NC) has been celebrating the 16th of poush as ”National Unity and Reconciliation Day” to commemorate the day the party founder Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala and other leaders returned home after a long exile. On Poush 1, 2017, the then King Mahendra took the reins of government by making a “Ku”.
The then Prime Minister BP Koirala and others were jailed. Mahendra had dissolved the multi- party democratic system, banned political parties and even charged the leaders with treason. However, BP Koirala and other leaders were released from jail on Kartik 14, 2025. After that they started living in exile in India.
Leaders including BP Koirala, Ganeshman Singh, Shailja Acharya and Khum Bahadur Khadka returned to Nepal in 2033 poush 16 with the message of national unity and reconciliation. Ignoring the issue of death penalty to save Nepal from the then political transition in South Asia, the then returning Congress leader BP was of the view that manpower (political party) and royal power (king) should unite to defend the sovereignty of the country.
Koirala was released on Jestha 27, 2034 BS, leaving the post empty and returning to the jail after treatment. After this, he was taken back to Sundarijal Prison and detained at the Police Training Center, Maharajgunj. The 24 ropani area prison has been turned into BP Museum on Bhadra 24, 2061.
While in Sundarijal prison, Koirala wrote a collection of short stories, ”Shwetabhairavi”,
‘Sumnima’, ‘Parents and sons’,’ Three turns’, ‘Modi’ and novels’ Hitler and the Jews’, ‘His story’ (autobiography) and prison diary (later ‘. (Published in prison journal). Before his imprisonment, his collection of short stories ‘Doshi Chashma’ was published in 2008 BS.
Koirala is known as a politician as well as a promoter of sexual psychology in Nepali fiction. A diary has also been published under the name ‘Pheri Sundarijal’ after returning from the
reconciliation policy on Poush 16, 2033 BS.
By Karuna Thapa
