History of Communist revolution in Nepal

History of Communist Revolution in Nepal
I have just begun translating in English an excerpt from 'Bigul'- a monthly workers’ agit-prop paper.

NEPAL’S COMMUNIST REVOLUTION- A CONCISE HISTORY
The Communist Party of Nepal was founded on 22nd April, 1949 amidst the revolutionary struggles against the tyrannical and suppressive dictatorship prevalent in those times.
After the Second World War the entire world witnessed a huge surge in waves of national liberation struggles The Communists were in the front-lines in the struggles against colonialism, semi-colonialism and neo-colonialism. The prominent role and nonpareil sacrifices of Soviet Union in defeating Fascist forces established the general acceptance of Socialism in the masses pining to be liberated. Post-Second World War witnessed the establishment of democratic forces led by the Proletariat in entire East Europe and East Germany. The victory of Chinese neo-democratic revolution was imminent. And similar was the scenario of national freedom struggles under the able and effective leadership of the Communists in nations like Vietnam, Korea etc. Communist forces in India failed to effectively lead the national movement because of innate ideological weaknesses and aberrations and also due to lack of correct assessment of concrete situation. However, after 1947, farmers’ struggles as well as the workers' movements continued under the leadership of Communists in Tebhaga-Telangana and Punapra-Vyalar regions. Communist ideology had influenced a large section of the radical middle-class educated youth.
Formation of N.C.P. and its initial stages: A revolutionary beginning and regulatory mechanism
This entire world scenario and political upheavals in India influenced deeply a minuscule radical population of radical educated youths in neighborhood Nepal. Few of such youth activists formed a Marxist research-wing aimed at eliminating the tyrannical feudal dictatorship. Pushplal Shreshta, Narbahadur Karmacharya, Niranjan Gobind Vaidya, and Narayan Vilas Joshi played prominent roles in these. Other prominent name among the founders of the party was of Manmohan Adhikari who had come to Varanasi in 1938 for research purposes. He participated in Quit India Movement (1942) and even went to jail. Later he too got influenced by Marxist ideology and joined the Communist party of India. He actively participated as a trade union leader in Birat Nagar when he returned back to Nepal. He was there as an active participant when Nepal Communist Party (NCP) was founded in 1949.
At the time of its founding conference, Communist Party distributed a pamphlet that appealed and emphasized the necessity of armed struggle to establish new democracy and also asserted the leading role of Communist Party in the new democratic revolution. After this, the first manifesto of the party was published in September, 1949. It was explicitly stated in the manifesto, “The only vista to the liberation of Nepal lies in building of democratic state of toiling masses by overthrowing the prevailing feudal system and the imperialistic and capitalistic dominance under the leadership of the working classes”. It was said in the manifesto that uncompromising struggle against the prevalent feudal system was the only way to liberate Nepali masses and only Communist Party was competent of ushering in of a new era by leading a revolution. So, the Nepalese masses should organize and mobilize under the banner of Communist Party..
In its very first appeal and manifesto it was mentioned clearly that Imperialism and its cohort bourgeoisie class’ agents would try to disturb the ongoing revolution. The insinuation was clearly at Nepalese Congress party leaders. NCP actively fought for against autocratic system, but the struggle failed to get a direction owing to the inept leadership in the hands of Congress. After the 1951 ‘Delhi Pact’, Rana Tribhuvan Singh’s reign established multiparty democracy to end autocracy, but if failed to affect any positive changes in the fundamental socio-economic structure of Nepalese society. Besides Imperialism, the influence of Indian expansionist policy (which has clear proof lay in the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty and many other kindred treaties that comprised continual unequal coupled with the effects of treaties imposed on Nepal during the British Raj) remained and feudal suppression in the villages steadily continued. End of suppressive and unbridled autocracy and the establishment of multilateral democratic order were mere tools of a confined bourgeoisie reform that solely aimed at giving a cold shoulder to the revolutionary aspirations of the Nepalese and ending all possibilities of development. NCP lampooned by stating that ‘Delhi Pact’ was tantamount to a fraud. The party believed that actual democracy cannot be imposed over the people but can only be brought forth by force, decision and initiative of common man. It is worth mentioning that it was NCP who first shouted strategic slogan to hold elections for Constituent Assembly by dint of universal suffrage.
The first party convention in 1951 implemented the manifesto named ‘The road to neo-democracy for Nepal’s public’. Pushplal Shreshtha was elected the first Chairman. This manifesto stressed on the uncompromising need of armed struggle. It can be stated that that despite the headless leadership due to lack of ideological-political clarity and topical experience in the initial stages the Communists in Nepal continued marching ahead in their movement. Consequently revolutionary activism increased continually carried forward by new recruits and new people’s establishments that furthered the struggles of farmers and the hoi polloi. Within few years the party donned the role of fugleman in national politics especially in the areas of political-strategic influences.
In between, the year 1951 witnessed political upheavals as Communists were banned this year and a multiparty parliamentary code was established. The party whipsawed between the challenge of managing to stay afloat despite the tyrannical ban and of operating undercover in lieu of it to continue revolutionary activism. But the immature and non-worker leadership was unable to cope with this double whammy resulting in the upsurge of constitutional, parliamentarian and reformist forces. The first congress was held in 1953 staring at the face of ban. Congress elected a new central committee whose chairman was Manmohan Adhikari. Another prominent personality Mohan Vikram Singh joined the Nepal Communist revolution the same year. Young Turk Mohan Vikram Singh started his political career with Nepalese Congress playing an active role in the public uprising for the establishment of democracy in 1950-51. There e was an innate lack of clarity in the measures that needed to be adapted against the ruling order in the first Congress. It, therefore, amended its first manifesto and initiated proactive measures in changing the revolutionary programmes. This process continued in the second convention held in 1955. The party initiated a changed paradigm acceptable to both the ruling and the reactionary forces. The reformist leanings were palpable now. Bowing to the demands laid down by the reactionary forces in 1955 party chairman Manmohan Adhikari shot a missive to the king to give recognition to the conditions of peaceful revolutionary struggle and to accept the constitutional rulership, which can enable the party to operate freely. Party was clearly inclined towards Southern opportunism and it resulting in lifting of the ban in 1956.
Reformist aberrations and stages of struggles against them: N.C.P.caught in the whirlpool of resistance and disruption (1957-68)
When Manmohan Singh was on a trip to China in 1957 Dr. Kesharjang Raimajhi was made the acting Chairman. In his leadership pro-Czarists and Semitic forces started dominating in a constitutional influence. In the 20th Congress the party in Soviet Union had established the mantra of peaceful transition of reforms by dint of Khrushchev’s reformist victories. Khrushchev’s wave of reforms found echo and encouragement in similar sentiments cutting through the swathes of Nepal too. The lure of parliamentary election prompted the party leadership to sacrifice the lines of constituent assembly.



To be contd.