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VOL. 27, NO. 40, June 20 , 2008 (Ashadh 06 2065 B.S.)
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MEMOIR
History of Communism
Veteran communist leader late Sambhu Ram Shrestha narrates the history of communist movement in Nepal
By A CORRESPONDENT
At a time when communist intellectuals and some communist leaders including the CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda have been talking about the need to forge the communist unity, veteran communist leader late Sambhu Ram Shrestha's memoir gives some interesting insights on the history of communism in Nepal.
From the role of founder of Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Lal Shrestha to his wife Sahana Pradhan and CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikary to president of Nepal Peasant and Worker's Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Shrestha reveals many interesting things about the communist movement and its leaders in Nepal.
Mero Rajnaitik Jeeven Sansmaranharu
Memories of My Political Life
By: Senior Communist Leader Sambhuram Shrestha
Published by: Gwahali Guthi, Sambhuram Shrestha Kriti Publication Committee
Price: Rs. 200.00 |
Written during his last days of life, Shrestha's memoir is full of communist history and persons involved in it. From founding of communist party to present day, he traces the five decades long history of communist movement in Nepal.
When he joined the communist movement, there were hardly any communist followers in the valley. However, the overall position of communist changed following the change of 1990.When he died, the communists were in the position to form the government in Nepal.
An episode in the book narrating late Manmohan Adhikary's meeting with King Birendra and his reluctance about the meeting with King Birendra is very interesting. Although Manmohanji was directed to meet the king to protect the national interest, he agreed with king Birendra to work against Nepali Congress, the book narrates. According to Shrestha, Adhikary had a weak personality.
After meeting with king Birendra, Shrestha himself was very much impressed. Contradictory to public remarks, king Birendra was a very interactive person with capability to give impression to others, he found.
According to Shrestha, Indian prime minister late Indira Gandhi threatened to spilt terai to king Birendra in 1975 after his proposal to declare Nepal as a Zone of Peace. Late Indira Gandhi said that India can easily play terai card as more than 40 percent of population there are of Indian origin.
Late Shrestha had very bitter experience of working with leaders of Indian communist parties. According to late Shrestha, when they opposed Indian military intervention in East Pakistan, senior communist leaders of India criticized them for taking decision without consulting them.
Comrade Shrestha had also seen how widow of Pushpa Lal Shrestha, Sahana Pradhan completed her PhD in New Delhi University under a recommendation of former Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.
Had Sambhuram Shrestha survived, he would have seen a country turning to a left majority. In the recently concluded election, communists secured more than 60 percent of total seats and are in a position to form the government.
Although comrade Sambhuram Shrestha's quest to bring the communist to majority had never materialized in his life time, a year after his death the communist forces in Nepal are in the dominant position.
Established five decades ago, Nepalese communists had gone through several stages. From staying in exile in India to bearing the division in the communist party, they were unable to show their strength in the popular politics for a long time.
Thanks to democratic leader Girija Prasad Koirala, the communists are now in the decisive position.
