In a double tragedy, a martyr’s parents lament the death of their son as well as death of democracy in Nepal
Text by Rajendra Phuyal/Photo by Shailendra Kharel
While the leaders of Seven Party Alliance (SPA) were announcing fresh protests at Mangal Bazar, Lalitpur Friday (see the blog below), in nearby residence, a family of martyr was recalling ruefully the miseries they are going through.
In March 31st (Chitra 17), 1990, as People’s Movement intensified, Gyan Bahadur Shahi and Sagar Singh were killed by Panchayati autocracy. Many waters have flowed down the Bagmati River in one and half decades. But, the things are still the same. At least, for the martyr’s family. They were invited to attend Friday’s mass meet near their turf. Though, Sagar’s father Ganesh Man made it to the venue, Gyan Bahadur’s parents stayed home (see pic above) at Sundhara, 7 kilometer from Mangal Bazar.
Gyan Bahadur’s father Purna Man and mother Laxmi Devi lament that the freedom of expression which their son fought for so dearly, has been curtailed now. “He (Hari Krishna Byanjankar) came yesterday and invited us to join the mass meet. But I didn’t feel like going, for I’m not interested in such agitations,” says Purna Man.
He, however, wishes there were democracy in the country. “Had there been democracy, we could have raised our grievances. But, now we’ve nowhere to go,” says he. He feels that people, despite being robbed of their basic rights, are reluctant to join protests because of the parties’ hunger for state-power. “Parties’ government didn’t make any differences,” he adds, “which is why there is a growing disbelief among public.”
The parents of the then 18 year-old Gyanendra (eldest son) eke out living from a small grocery store. Late Gyanendra’s brother Uttam who was also injured by police, died after a year. “Uttam’s x-ray showed only a tiny scar, but he died while undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital,” Purna Man reminisces the tragedy that befell them in early 1990s. After losing both the sons, Shahis adopted Kashis, who is studying in class 8.
Purna Man’s family didn’t receive any assistance from successive democratic governments after the restoration of democracy in 1990. He wanted to erect a statue of his martyr son. “I made many rounds of every government offices,” he recalls, “but no one heeded my plea.” He says he only needed a piece of land to place the martyr’s statue. He barged into the offices of the then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Deputy PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and Mayor of Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, Buddhi Lal Bajracharya, but no one paid any attention.
“They said ‘yes’ but never decided on the land,” 55-year-old Purna Man says. The Shahis have requested the authority for permission to place the statue anywhere in Sundhara, Pulchowk, Kupandol, Gwarko and Lagankhel. Thus, a father’s dream to see his martyr son’s statue has been deferred, if not shattered.
They haven’t given up the hope yet. Purna Man now has a hazy memory of paying 15 thousand rupees in advance for the statue. “Many people earned quick bucks selling my son’s photos,” he says, “if I’m permitted to place his statue, I’m ready to sell my grocery.” Neither did they beg for money anywhere nor did they publicize their younger son’s death.
Why didn’t Purna Man turn up on Friday’s mass meet where people were carrying the placards of his son? No one seemed bothered by this question on Friday afternoon.
Translated by Deepak Adhikari
United We Blog 
Comments
27 responses to “The Misery of Martyr’s Family”
nepal shall rejoice after girija and gang are thrown in to jails and left there for life.
Nice one.
Pretty good picture of what our politicians were upto, who couldn’t fulfill one simple request of Martyr’s father.
Not just one, all GP, Mankune, Shere all of them are the same. Selfish & oppurtunist.
And you thought these selfish politicians will bring REVOLUTION !!!.
Total BS !!
Only person who CAN and HAVE TO bring revolution is the King himself. I am not big Mr. KG Fan, but its the truth. He is the only one you seems undisturbed and going acc. to HIS PLANS, not OUR plan. He must get out of his stubborness. Think and analyse carefully, get into actions not just words -‘booojhee… booojhee…. , maile booojheko chooo…’.
Don’t fall in prey to these spineless foxy politicains, who cannot let Martyr’s soul rest in peace.
ITS SAD BUT TRUE STORY OF MARTYRS AND DEMOCRATIC FIGHTERS WHO FOUGHT FOR DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL.
WHILST IN POWER, OUR LEADERS GOT SO INTOXICATED THAT THEY FORGET THEIR COLLEAGUES AND COUNTRYMEN, AND ALL THE REASONS WHY THEY WENT TO POWER….TO REPRESENT PEOPLE.
IN REALITY THEY SERVED FOR THE REASON ONLY OF THEIR WIFE AND CHILDREN WHILST IN POWER.
LIFE OF MOST OF DEDICATED POLITICIANS AND LEADERS IN NEPALI CONGRESS (BOTH DEMOCRATIC AND GIRIJA-MARKA) AND COMMUNIST ARE STILL IN MISERY. DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT CANT SUCCEED WITH THE SUPPORT OF HANDFUL OF ACTIVISTS WHO WERE ATTRACTED EITHER BY POWER OR MONEY DURING 12 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY.
THE MORALE OF THE STORY IS THAT THIS IS THE REASON WHY DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT LACKS SUPPORT OF PEOPLE AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES (ESPECIALLY THEIR CENTRAL COMMITTEE) ARE FULLY INFECTED WITH CORRUPT LEADERS. IF WE WERE TO DO THEIR PROPERTY EVALUATION, WE CAN FEEL WHY DEMOCRACY FAILED.
UNLESS THE CORRUPT LEADERS ARE REMOVED FROM THE PARTY’S LEADERSHIP, DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT WILL NEVER GET SUPPORT OF PEOPLE.
YES THIS MEANS REMOVAL OF ALL THE BLOODY CORRUPT LEADERS WHO HELD IMPORTANT CABINET POSTS. THIS WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL THE CORRUPT PEOPLE LIKE GIRIJA PRASAD AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, CHIRANJIBI WAGLE, KHUM BAHADUR, GOVINDA RAJ JOSHI, MADHAV KUMAR NEPAL, BHARAT MOHAN ADHIKARI, GOPAL MAN SHRESTHA ETC ETC….IN FACT MOST OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTE MEMBERS OF NEPALI CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC AND GIRIJA-CRATIC) AND UML.
THESE ARE THE ONES TO BE BLAMED FOR THE MISERY OF THE MARTYRS FAMILY AND FAMILY OF DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS THE FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RISE OF THE ROYAL DUO OF GYANENDRA AND PRACHANDA, TWO SIDES OF SAME COIN WHO ARE RULING NEPAL NOW……….AGAIN AT THE MISERY OF NEPALESE PEOPLE.
HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MARTYRS OF NEPAL.
Indeed when I read stuff like this I wish Girija, Deuba and Madav Nepal should be sent to a Vietnamese torture camp. But what can we say Gyanendra’s foolishness is causing more death and destruction … if you read stories of the dissapearences the effects of the fighting on the villages etc. you cannot help support the parties because they are really the only way out of the current crisis. It’s not a great choice – king or parties but we have to chose the lesser of the two evils.
Girija will give his approval for the land when he will be a new PM in ‘sworgebas’. Aba pachasi barsa bhayo, aba dherai kati po banchla ra…
Reason to support parties:
Yes there is no party in the world which takes all my support. This means with party system i will always have a best bet of finding one that nearly represents me.
Reason to support to political leaders: They are the one who took the power in legal and authentic way. Any five years if we didnot like them we can vote them out of office. but we cannot do that to Any royal ass so leaders are better (or less worse) then the king.
reason to not to support Gyanedra: (i)He came to power in illegal way. (ii)He killed his brothers family that is why he is a murderer. I don’t want such a reckless murderer rulling me. (iii) I beleive that everybody is born equal and nobody should have the right to rule me because they were born to rule me. I am born free. I have the right to decide who should rule me or I should rule others. I don’t want to give my right to Gyane at anycost.
And lastly: I empathize with the family of “SHAHID”. I pray to God to give them strength to hold their heart for democracy even at this difficult times.
Aalok,
I am with you.
I am really surprised that 24 hours after posttng my comment, you still have not Posted it in your site. Maybe its too much truth for you to handle and that you dont want to intimidate the corrupt leaders that you support.
There goes FREEDOM TO EXPRESS down the drain.
ITS SAD BUT TRUE STORY OF MARTYRS AND DEMOCRATIC FIGHTERS WHO FOUGHT FOR DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL.
WHILST IN POWER, OUR LEADERS GOT SO INTOXICATED THAT THEY FORGET THEIR COLLEAGUES AND COUNTRYMEN, AND ALL THE REASONS WHY THEY WENT TO POWER….TO REPRESENT PEOPLE.
IN REALITY THEY SERVED FOR THE REASON ONLY OF THEIR WIFE AND CHILDREN WHILST IN POWER.
LIFE OF MOST OF DEDICATED POLITICIANS AND LEADERS IN NEPALI CONGRESS (BOTH DEMOCRATIC AND GIRIJA-MARKA) AND COMMUNIST ARE STILL IN MISERY. DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT CANT SUCCEED WITH THE SUPPORT OF HANDFUL OF ACTIVISTS WHO WERE ATTRACTED EITHER BY POWER OR MONEY DURING 12 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY.
THE MORALE OF THE STORY IS THAT THIS IS THE REASON WHY DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT LACKS SUPPORT OF PEOPLE AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES (ESPECIALLY THEIR CENTRAL COMMITTEE) ARE FULLY INFECTED WITH CORRUPT LEADERS. IF WE WERE TO DO THEIR PROPERTY EVALUATION, WE CAN FEEL WHY DEMOCRACY FAILED.
UNLESS THE CORRUPT LEADERS ARE REMOVED FROM THE PARTY’S LEADERSHIP, DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT WILL NEVER GET SUPPORT OF PEOPLE.
YES THIS MEANS REMOVAL OF ALL THE BLOODY CORRUPT LEADERS WHO HELD IMPORTANT CABINET POSTS. THIS WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL THE CORRUPT PEOPLE LIKE GIRIJA PRASAD AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, CHIRANJIBI WAGLE, KHUM BAHADUR, GOVINDA RAJ JOSHI, MADHAV KUMAR NEPAL, BHARAT MOHAN ADHIKARI, GOPAL MAN SHRESTHA ETC ETC….IN FACT MOST OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTE MEMBERS OF NEPALI CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC AND GIRIJA-CRATIC) AND UML.
THESE ARE THE ONES TO BE BLAMED FOR THE MISERY OF THE MARTYRS FAMILY AND FAMILY OF DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS THE FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RISE OF THE ROYAL DUO OF GYANENDRA AND PRACHANDA, TWO SIDES OF SAME COIN WHO ARE RULING NEPAL NOW……….AGAIN AT THE MISERY OF NEPALESE PEOPLE.
HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MARTYRS OF NEPAL.
Concerned Nepali:
You have absolutely hit the nail in the head. I have been reapeating this same thing over and over in other posts. The fact of the matter remains that the parties lack hardcore substantial support from people. The reason being like you mentioned people don’t know if it is worth it to go out of their way and support them – since they didn’t get anything the last time. The average Nepalis life was no different under the panchyat system then under the post 1990 system. In fact in the post 1990 system it was more disruptive with the bhands etc. However, the poltical parties are the only way to find a solution to Nepal’s crisis. I wish they would reform themslves and bring in some new faces so as to assure people that things would be different in the future.
But like I mentioned faced with a choice I think we still have to supoort the political parties because if you look at the alternative with KG and his minions things don’t look that good.
Hey folks,
The first thing that we educated folk should consider is that people are greedy and selfish. We must always consider this quality in people, whoever they are. Make laws to acknowledge such quality in human being. Just don’t say that your leaders were greedy and selfish when they were in power. it is just that some have that quality more and some have that less. If anyday your leader happen to go out ofthe boundry line people make they can vote him out of office. But can you do the same with the person with birth right to rule you. Just displace something people cannot displace and Nepalease will be sovereign the same day.
Jay Nepal.
Thank you Punditji and Alokji for your comments.
The need of “Freedom of Rights” and that of Democarcy is undeniable.
However what I am saying is that we have to put behind some of our bad cultures as well…..
Well for a start……..Active Monarchy is a part of our culture….and fromt he looks of it, Nepalese people are almost ready to put it behind, but we also do need to put behind our culture of this “Monarchy type leading figures”. The media of Nepal and the people as well (for various reason) still tend to cling to same group of politicians, who had in the past held some Ministerial post for the main reason that………pachi kehi faida hunthyo ki. THis is the part of Nepali culture where the same bloody group of politicians play their musical chairs……..and we do need to get out of this mentality and forums like “United we blog” should come out of this culture as well.
THIS IS THE FACT, IF YOU MAKE MISTAKES THEN YOU NEED TO BE PUNISHED, WELL IN NEPAL IT SEEMS THAT EVEN AFTER BEING THE SYMBOL OF MISTAKES WE TEND TO SUPPORT THE SAME LEADERS AND SAME POLTICAL PARTIES.
MY COMMENT IS THAT DEMOCRACTIC MOVEMENT NEEDS INTERNAL SELF-EVALUATION FIRST. UNLESS WE KEEP SUPPORTING GIRIJA PRASAD AND HIS DAUGHTER SUJATA, CHIRANJIBI WAGLE AND HIS CORRUPT SON DEVENDRA, MADHAV NEPAL AND HIS CRONIES…..WELL HOW CAN PEOPLE SUPPORT SUCH MOVEMENT….but of course……..we are not ready for it….
The condition of Nepal is similar to Neitzhe’s view of “God is dead”…….where the man shouts “I come too early”.
We still are not ready for change if we are afraid to change our corrupt leaders.
WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE INDISPENSIBLE. IF WE ARE READY TO REMOVE ACTIVE MONARCY THEN WE SHOULD BE READY TO REMOVE THEM AS WELL…..REMOVE THEM EVEN FROM THE STREETS AS OUR LEADERS.
Concerned Nepali:
The problem is that right now if we do not support Girija Babu and Madav Nepal who will be the voice of democracy and speak against KG? As much as I hate it I cannot help but support the SPA’s movement. I agree that these fools need major reforms but the question is if that is a priority right now?
Partly people are also be to blamed for the performance of past political leaders. Hopefully in the future people will be more aware and will demand greater accountability. However, right now every day Nepal is becoming more militarized and more repressive. In these circumstances the best line of action would be to support the voice of democracy.
If we have decided to change the country the WHY STILL we depend and need these FOXY and corrupt leaders.
Today we depened upon these AHoles. Tomorrow they will repeat the history again. Once these politicians get into their desired post, it will be them who will be given the whole credit for reform. Not us who shed out blood. 1947 war have already shown it. And the article above is not the different.
Do you think these ppl will leave the seat for forerunners?
No way.
If we need revolution, we need to form our own group, not get along with these corrupt leaders.
Once the follower will always remain follower.
Why do we need to follow them, when we know they are evil?
People power is the greater one than political power. So this generation student uninons must come forward as SEPERATE WING, come out of their current parent political group shadow.
Unless, you fight for you will never get it.
Dear Punditji,
I understand your feelings. However, dont you agree that a change of some persons, namely CERTAIN CORRUPT leaders here in the current scenario will PAVE WAY TO democracy.
Democracy is not about chance, its about continuous process or grooming and searching for leadership from amongst ourself…..so we need to think about that from right now.
I am sorry to say this but Girija babu, with all due respect is already pretty aged. We should be prepared for movement regardless of handlful of leaders.
When people like Gyan Bahadur Shahi and Sagar Singh made to the streets of Kathmandu VALLEY in 2046 along with tens of thousands of residents of Kathmandu, it was not for the sake of handful of leaders or for one political party, it was for DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM.
I AM 100% SURE THAT THE MOVEMENT WILL NOT REACH ANYWHERE UNLESS AT LEAST SOME CHANGES ARE MADE WITHIN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF POLITICAL PARTIES SUCH AS NEPAL CONGRESS, NEPALI CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC), UML etc
NEWARS OF KATHMANDU HAVE SEEN HAVE WITNESSED WHO HAVE PLUNDERED HOW MUCH IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES IN LAST FIFTEEN YEARS. WE NEED NOT TAKE NAMES HERE. PEOPLE WHO CAME IN CHAPPAL TO KATHMANDU ARE STAYING IN MAHALS NOW !!
Girija babu, with all his wisdom, should pave away for better leadership and parties unification in a better way. Similarly, UML should be able to come out of confinements of Madhav Kumar Nepal and legacy of party’s break up, then only will democratic movement get some support.
OTHERWISE BRINGING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE KATHMANDU TO DEMONSTRATE WILL NOT BE SUSTAINABLE. WE ALL KNOW THAT UNLESS THE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT GETS SUPPORT OF LOCAL NEWARS FROM KATHMANDU LIKE BOTH OF THE MARTYRS ABOVE, THERE WONT BE MUCH SUCCESS. WELL YOU CAN CALL IT THE FINAL DECISIVE VOTE.
BUT WHY WILL THE LOCALS COME FORWARD WHEN THE COUNTRY HAS WITNESSED NOTHING THAN BAHUNBAD AND CHETTRIBAD AND PARIWARBAD?? FORGIVE ME FOR SAYING THIS I AM NOT DISCRIMINATING HERE BUT OUR LEADERS HAVE MADE GREAT MISTAKES AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE CORRECTED FIRST.
IF WE DONT DARE TO CORRECT THE MISTAKES, THEN NEXT GENERATION WILL DEFINITELY CURSE US, YES I MEAN YOU AND ME AND ALL OF US.
TILL THAT TIME WE WILL OF COURSE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACTIC MOVEMENT IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY….AS YOU CORRECTLY SAID DESPITE OUR PATHETIC LEADERS !!!!
I VALUE UNITED WE BLOG FOR MAINTAINING SUCH A FORUM…..WHICH IS GETTING MORE EFFECTIVE EVERYDAY.
Dear Nepalisongs.info,
You sound very enthusiastic.
However remember that we need the vigour of young generation as well as guidance and experience of old generations.
You must have heard of numerous fighters of democracy from the old generation who are educated, intellect, faced prison for numberous years only to be sidelined by these corrupt leaders.
Dont worry democractic movement will ultimately replace these corrupt leaders with combination of dedicated leaders from yesteryears as well as leaders from young generation.
Thats ultimate…..Nepali people wont be fooled by these corrupt leaders anymore…….we should have democracy as desired by Nepalese people not as desired by our corrupt leaders.
For some, DEMOCRACY HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS TO “GOWING TO POWER FOR MORE PLUNDERING” AND WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE.
SO MAYBE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT NEEDS NEW SLOGAN, “BEWARE OF DOGS HUNGRY FOR BONE”
Concerned Nepali:
I could not agree more with what you have said. Without reforming the current political parties they are not going to capture the mass support. The problem is that who is going to reform them? The party leaders are not going to step aside. The NC is gripped with the Koirala monopoly and there is no one willing to take the initiative to challenge the status quo. In the NC-Democratic Deuba is as arrogant as ever and insists on holding on to his position. I am sure you heard of this speech at Columbia recently. When someone asked him about his record as prime minister and why he didn’t resgin his response to the person was something along the lines of:”come to Nepal and we can talk about it.”
UML is another dead end party with really no propects. Now that Madav Nepal has been imprisonated he is bound to be a hero when he comes out and then who will challenge him?
In other words reforming and punishing the party leaders is a process that is going to take inititive, leadership and careful manuvering from a democratic government.
Right now a democratic government seems ever more unlikely. My point really is he have all the time in the world to prosecute Girija and his evil spawn Sujata but we don’t have all the time in the world to let Gyanendra toy with Nepal’s future. Let’s get a democratic system first and foremost and then we can start digging up stuff on the former politians who got us in this mess.
I am really surprised that 24 hours after posttng my comment, you still have not Posted it in your site. Maybe its too much truth for you to handle and that you dont want to intimidate the corrupt leaders that you support.
There goes FREEDOM TO EXPRESS down the drain. THIS SHOWS YOU ARE AS BIG A CROOK AS THE NEPALESE POLITICIANS.
The political parties are the worst thing that ever happened to Nepal and Nepalese.
The one who does something is never appreciated in his entire life, and after the person dies people shed crocodile tears.
People who fought for democracy in the true sense have always suffered. Today no one remembers the martyrs. People like Sujata and Sher B Deuba who were not even in the country during the revolution are the biggest Netas and enjoying the power.
Who had thought Surya B. Thapa, Lokendra B. Chand, Pashupati Shamsher,……….will be ministers and Prmie Ministers and they claim themselves as the most democratic heads?
Gangsters like Mirja became Ministers. Nepal is a country which has been cursed by Sati. And it does not seem the effect of this curse going to end.
Concerned Nepali: so you want some newars dead for yours beloved girija and makune. is that some sort of joke or what?
make it
Concerned Nepali: so you want to see more newars dead for yours beloved girija and makune. is that some sort of joke or what?
i have always beleived in an constitutional monarchy and i still do but as long as these mofos like koirala, nepal, deuba, gagan thapa, parchanda……. are there in the nepali political scene………… hell..i will always choose super active monarchy to it
replytoall:
you can always vote koirala, nepal, deuba, gagan thapa, parchanda out of office. or others might come in and take their place. change is possible when you have a democratic political system.
with a super active monarchy there is not a damn thing you can do about anything. and besides with people like Tulsi Giri, Sachit Rana etc. things are not much better – except now no can can say anything about it.
i meant to say:
you cannot say anything.
reply to all,
What’s wrong with Gagan Thapa? He’s certainly a lot better than our ‘King’ and his hash smoking idiot of a son.
manan:
smoking idiot? you are too kind … how about an uneducated, lunatic, durnkard murderer
Best in the best
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