Role of the people of Mid-Western region in the mass movement of 2062/63 B.S.

Abstract

People of Mid Western Region were against the Rana oligarcgy system, Panchayat system and direct rule of the king. Refusal of the proposal of the government led by Girija Prasad Koirala to mobilize the Royal Nepal Army to crush the People's Liberation Army of Maoists in Holeri of Rolpa created suspicion over the king. The royal palace massacre and crowning of a new king, brought a new turn in the history of Nepal. People took it unnatural and the king's status of the symbol of unity of the nation and the belief over the king as a continuation of the incarnation of God Bishnu in Hindu Religion, weakened. For the time being, as the king dissolved the elected House of Representatives, any hope to believe the king was over and the people became agitated. Furthermore, as he dismissed the government, the people could not bear it and they geared up the movement calling it regression. In due course, as he took over the power himself, the political parties went on the street against his step calling it a coup d'état. In the meantime, interestingly, due to the king's ignorance over the political parties, two political factions, the Political Parties which believe in Parliament system and the Armed Maoist party came close. After that the two groups, signed the famous twelve point agreement, and launched the People's Movement of 2062/63 B.S. The movement not only ended the ten years conflict out but also overthrew the direct rule of the king. The people of Mid Western Region were directly involved in the movement and they played an active role to push the movement on the way of success. The purpose of the study is to explore the day to day events of the movement of 2062/62 B.S., which occurred in the Mid Western Region, to analyze the role of different walks of people of this region, to find out the causes, effects and the nature of the movement so far. Shaping the study, the methodology of the study was based on a descriptive cum exploratory design and a qualitative research approach. Besides primary sources, published and unpublished literature and personal experience of the researcher were also considered. A general inductive qualitative data analysis technique was applied to analyze the data. People from all walks of life of the Mid Western Region, from children, youths and old, farmers, trade unions, labourers, rickshaw pullers, tanga riders, lawyers, journalists, civil society from different sectors, politicians, women, human rights activists, foreigners, the disabled, professors, teachers, students, forest products unions, transportation unions, governmental civil servants, non-governmental organizations, religious organizations such as the Muslim organization, different sewa samajes (service societies), artists, poets, industrialists, health workers, businessmen, and even those who were employed in India and returning to Nepal were actively involved in the demonstration. Four brave people like, Umesh Chandra Thapa, Hari Raj Adhikari, Setu B.K. and Yam Lal Lamichhane, gained martyrdom and inspired the people to further the movement. Following characteristics like joint movement, inclusive participation in the movement, role of consumer organizations, participation of different classes, role of human rights organizations, role of women, involvement of professionals, role of social service organizations, contribution of media, government employees' involvement, trade unions involvement, educational institutions' involvement, sister organizations' involvement, involvement of cultural organizations, involvement of Sewas Samajes (Service Societies) and spread to the grass root level, show all spheres and walks of life were against the steps of the king. Above all characteristics give enough evidence to say that people of Mid Western Region played important role and it was a mass movement. On the one hand, the conflict between the parties and the king and the reaction over the royal palace massacre, impression of the newspapers and journalists, Maoists insurgency and government's attitude, people's desire to recover their lost rights, change in Nepali Congress's traditional policy of constitutional monarchy, alliance between the Seven Parties Alliance and the Maoists, the political consciousness of the people, foreign interest over Nepal and political instability were the central causes. On the other hand, the viciousness of the local administration, the royal nomination in local governments, the lack of development at the local level,