The politics for democracy and tirade against autocracy was in the blood of Girja Prasad Koirala. As he was born while his father Krishna Prasad Koirala and entire family had been living an exiled life in Tedi village of Saharsha district in Bihar, India. He was the 3rd child from KP Koirala’s 3rd wife Divya Devi Koirala. GP grew up in a family that had revolted against the Rana tyranny, which was responsible for utter socio-economic inequalities in society. Being in exile, this family had also been actively taking part in the Quit-India movement as the senior Koirala in the family had recognized that Rana oligarchy, which had intimate relationship with British empire and receiving support for its authoritarian rule, could be uprooted only with the end of British-raj in India.
Hazi Saheb as Idol:
The Koirala family in exile had a regular visitor. He was popularly known as Hazi Saheb,who was a businessman and also enjoyed a social influence in the area. He was a kind of role model for child GP. The budding mind of GP was exceedingly impressed by Hazi and principal reasons for his enthrallment for him was that the latter usually sported an attractive dress- a combination of white, clean and alluring silk attire, and always riding on a well ministered white horse. GP was additionally attracted by Hazi also because his father always received him warmly and paid a due respect to him. But suddenly, GP’s thought underwent a transition.
The episode was that, as a member of an exiled family, it was obvious for GP, even being a child, to be fascinated by political gatherings. In one of such gatherings, which was scheduled to be addressed by Mahatma Gandhi, he too was part of the crowd. He was also able to manage to reach close to the podium. He had heard a lot about Gandhi Ji and his righteous deeds in the family but now it was an opportunity for him to see him physically. As an enthusiastic child observer, GP inquisitively saw that his idol of life too was sitting on the floor of the podium, of course, in his usual startling attire. On the other hand, Gandhi- who was the centre of attraction of the event, was not only half-naked but also was poorly dressed up. Another thing that astonished GP was that, throughout the event, Hazi Saheb, who was widely recognized as a rich man in the area, was hardly paid an attention by Gandhi Ji! That public meeting actually had a lightning effect in the embryonic psyche of child Koirala. Ever since, GP differentiated between a rich person and a leader who works for the cause of social justice, freedom and democracy in society.
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Ideological Transitions:
Influenced by left ideas at the earlier stage of political career, GP, however, in his later phase, developed himself as an anti-communist leader. For certain span of time, Koirala was a synonym for anti-communist tirade, as he was strictly adhering the footsteps of his brother BP, who was convinced that Nepalese communists too were working in accordance with the strategy, propounded by communist leader Dipa Nusantara Idit in Indonesia, in order to capturing the state. In this connection, BP time and again, yet publicly, had stated that the communists in Nepal too were obscurely working for the republican cause and were tactically infiltrated into the partyless Panchayat system, steered by a self-assured royal palace.
GP, influenced by this notion, always resisted the thought of having an alliance with communist forces in the country. For that ideological stance, Koirala was even suspected of joining the king's Panchayat polity by some of his critics. But, in 1990, as his seniors, in the troika ladder, were obdurate in favor of an alliance with the leftists to launch a decisive people’s movement, Koirala unwillingly compromised his ideological stance. The alliance with communists, nevertheless, thoroughly altered the king’s thirty years old Panchayat system and restituted multiparty democracy, seized in 1960. After fifteen years, the irony of history was that, of course amid royal palace’s takeover and on the heels of country being marred by Maoists’ armed revolt against the state, Koirala willingly entered into 12-point agreement with the latter in November 2005.
The Verse: “Ekla Cholo Re..”
In Nepal’s checkered political history, GP Koirala had varied experiences. He had to have an audience with King Mahendra many times in connection with the release of his elder brother BP from imprisonment. He struggled to work affably with late king Birendra who was scratchy with his figurehead role stipulated by 1990 constitution. And, he conspicuously worked in setting-down Gyanendra on the royal throne, yet amid a boisterous political atmosphere, triggered by horrendous palace massacre in 2001.
At the later phase of politics, while the king had already asserted state sovereignty since October 2002, yet in the midst of Maoist insurgency at its peak, Koirala’s desperate calls for the reconciliation among constitutional forces, through restoration of parliament, went unheard. An extra adversary to Seven Party Alliance leader Koirala, the Maoists insurgents, apathetic to the 1990 constitution, had been targeting the cadres of major parliamentary forces, including NC and UML, by declaring them as class enemies.
The armed insurgents this intransigent and endmost strategy not only caused several dozens of deaths but also weakened the resistance from these two political parties with huge mass followings. In the midst of it, as the triangular-do or die, battle among the palace, the SPA and the CPN-Maoist,was ongoing; Koiralahad to encounter some insolent moments as well. On some occasions, he even had to argue in favor of restoration of parliament with Kathmandu based foreign envoys.
Even within his own NC, some of his colleagues were questioning in private conversations about the legal standing of the political crusade, that Koirala was unleashing, as the parliament was duly, and yet, constitutionally dissolved. During this specific period, despite his ‘to the hilt tirade, a feeble health Koirala,was unsure about the ultimate outcome of his campaign. He, in some private conversations, used to murmur, “Khai Yar…. Kehunchha….” At that moments of consternation, Rabindranath Tagore’s verse- Ekla Cholo Re..,was a source of solace for Koirala. Hence, Tagore’s this famous poem was also close to the heart of Mahatma Gandhi during quit-India movement.The content of Ekla Cholo Re…, which Koirala received through aids, heartened and helped him out in low time.That facilitated GP to recomposehimself to continue his political campaign to motivating major stakeholders in favor of restitution of parliament to disentangle the nation from constitutional morass and also bringing Maoist insurgency to an end for good.
Today, while the country faces a host of challenges, amid evolving new world order, 4th of July- birth anniversary of late GP Koirala, who tirelessly worked for democracy and peace, offers us an opportunity to reflect on his political journey and deeds.
Greatly inspired by the notion of Democracy is indispensable for Development, envisaged by his elder brother BP, he took pioneering reform measures in 1991 and liberalized command economy, as Deng Xiaoping and PV Narasimha Rao, in Nepal’s immediate neighborhood, respectively did that in their countries in 1978 and 1991. On the political front, Koirala opposed consistently authoritarian rules- be it of Ranas or of Shah kings, in the country. In the final stretch of his political journey, GP, a frail health octogenarian leader, faced unprecedented challenges of extricating the multiparty democracy from the royal clutches and resolving the armed Maoist insurgency. But, Koirala, leading the Seven Party Alliance, not only was instrumental in reinstating the democracy but also was successful in mainstreaming rebels into democratic dispensation, which subsequently heralded a lasting peace in the country. These Deeds were recognized within Nepal and also beyond. India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following the success of the people's revolution in 2006, while receiving PM Koirala at Indira Gandhi International Airport, had praised him by saying, “You are the greatest leader in South Asia. We respect you and we are proud of you.” Later, in similar vein, US’s former President and Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter, in 2007, at PM’s residence Baluwatar, while applauding Koirala’s role for peace and democracy, said, “GP has been a hero for me.”They were surreal but defining moments for GP as many feathers were already on his hat.
