Contextualising Hanumannagar event in Freedom Movement of India
Bipin Deo: A galaxy of man of remarkable intellect like Jayparkash Narayan, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Narendra Deo and Sam purnand accepted Gandhi as a leader for time being only for freedom movement. Inspired by Marxist school of thought, these leaders had strong objection to Gandhism with opinion that Gandhism would not be able to transform poverty stricken, down-trodden and tradition-ladden India society. With the passage of time, these leaders adopted and adapted Gandhism as a part of mission in their lives. These leaders had their own school of thought called socialist unit inside the India National Congress. B.P. Koirala was also associated with this school of thought. He was leading Bihar unit as a Secretary. After call of Quit India Movement in 1942, British Rulers Rulers with all their brutality arrested almost all senior leaders of Congress including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Azad and others.
Responsibility of handling ‘Quit India Movement’ fell on the slender shoulder of these young, vibrant and dynamic socialist leaders. It was in fact stupendious task to bring all walks of life of people under the umbrella of Congress to dismantle the cathedral of British Empire. It is in this connection they planned to take the shelter in Saptari district of Nepal with sole objective of aiding, abating and instigating revolution which was already like conflagration in India Many caders of socialist group slowly came into Saptari. Cader-training was started too. Young caders were trained under the lead of Nitaynand sing, who was well trained trainer of Ajad Hind under the leadership of Suvash Candra Bosh. In village called Rajpur of saptari district, a conference of national level of socialist party was organized in which representations from Bihar, Punjab, U.P and Other provinces from India participated with full zeal and enthusiasim. Condusive atmosphere was being created for the revolution. In this backgrand, towereing personality of socialist party like Jayprakash, Dr. Lohia, Bijaya Patrardhan also came. In the background, the founder leader of Nepali Congress Rameshwor Prasad Singh was leaving no stone untouched to co-ordinate and mange for shelter, training and other logistic support. In April 1943, J.P. and Dr. Lohia were in Banarjhoola. Again a conference of the Congress socialist party was held in Banerjoola, a place near to Hauman Nagar. There was effective coordination between Ranas and British Rulers. Dal Bikram Rana was “Badahakim” (Zonal Officer). He came to know the planning of these leaders. In Mid-may 1943, these leaders like J.P, Dr Lohia and others were arrested in jail of Hauman Nagar. The news of arrest of these towering persondities spread like wildfire in India. Rana rulers were making necessary attemtps to handover these politician in hands of British Rulers.
With Rameswor Singh’s wholehearted support, Suraj Narayan galvanized the Nepali Azad Dasta on May 23, 1943. They started marching from Banarjhoola towards Hauman Nagar Jail. Reaching the jail in the middle of the night, revolutionaries opened the fire on the police and heroically they became successful in accomplishing that very herculean task. In that mission, important heroic personalities were Krishna Miaya. Gulabi sonar, Abdul Kami, and other landlords of Koilari and Barsain village. JP and Dr. Lohia were escorted very tactfully to India which brought a ray of hope for revolutionaries in India. Young revolutionaries of Nepal had to pay high price for their act of bravery. Including Rameswor Prasad Singh, many of them were arrested and transferred in Kathmandu Jail. Hanuman Nagar episode has been written in the golden letter of India Nepal friendship. This type of saga of sacrifice is rarely found in bialateral relationship in any country. These socialist leaders lent unprecedented support to leaders of Nepali Congress in their fight against Rana Regime. A noted political thinker and leader of Nepali Congress late Pradip Giri remarks, “Had. Hanuman Nagar episode not taken place, Rana Regime wouldn’t have been eliminated so early”.
JP and Dr. Lohia hold leaders of Nepali Congress in a high esteam. Dr. Lohia arranged meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and B.P Koirala. In preparation, presentation and malerialisation of maniferto of Nepali Congress, Dr. Lohia shared his vision and support to B.P. Koirala. In defence of democratic struggle in Nepal in front of Nepali Embassy of Delhi, Dr. Lohia staged stayagrah condemning and criticizing Rana Regime. In the process of raising his voice against Rana Regime, he was arrested by his own Government. Not only this In parliament of India, it was Dr. Lohia who drew attendion about democratic struggle of Nepal lending his moral support to revolutionaries in Nepal.
JP was equally cordial and friendly to Nepalese leaders. His own younger brother was bosam friend of B.P Koirala. So between B.P and J.P there was bond of family tie and relationship. It may not be out of place to say that almost all top-ranking politicians of Nepal of that particular Generation were either participants of Indian freedom movement or inspired by it. Impact of Mahatma Gandhi can be frequently seen in different political movements of Nepal. B.P’s fast to death in Jail of Sundari jail was in fact practices of Gandhism. Nepali Congress’s agenda of national reconciliation was also an act of practice of Gandhism. Ganesh Man Singh’s rejection of the post of prime ministership was also an experiment of Gandhism. Kisunjie’s life of simplicity was a Gandhim way of life. On auspicious occasion of Indian freedom movement, we need to introspect and retrospect all political values and norms set by our ancestors.