NC observing National Unity and Reconciliation Day today

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) is marking the 49th National Unity and Reconciliation Day across the country by organising several programmes today.

The NC has been observing the Poush 16 as the National Reconciliation Day, commemorating the day when the party founder BP Koirala and other veteran leaders returned to the country after ending a long political exile in India.

Nepal’s first people-elected Prime Minister BP Koirala along with party senior leaders Ganesh Man Singh, Shailaja Acharya and Khum Bahadur Khadka among others had repatriated putting forth the principle of national unity and reconciliation on Poush 16, 2033 BS (December 30, 1976) so as to safeguard the sovereignty of the country.

BP Koirala had returned the country to protect its sovereignty from the then political interference in the South Asia, ignoring the prosecution order against him.

On the occasion, BP had noted the urgency of reconciliation between the people’s power (political parties) and palace power (King) for the safeguarding of country’s sovereignty.

The then Panchayati regime had arrested BP, Ganesh Man and other leaders from the airport and directly took them to the Sundarijal jail. Earlier, the then King Mahendra had deposed the people-elected PM BP Koirala, his government and the parliament in 2017 BS to introduce the party-less Panchayati system.

It may be noted that BP Koirala, also a renowned name in the Nepali literature, had authored popular collection of fictions and political memoirs during his jail life in Sundairjal.