Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala (popularly known as BP Koirala), Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister in 1959 and the founding leader of the Nepali Congress – the premier and Democratic Socialist Party, who was the torch bearer of democracy and renaissance of Nepali politics, was unjustly sent to prison from office on December 15, 1960. After eight years of rigorous imprisonment, he was released on October 30, 1968. BP was uncompromising on democratic principles and rule of law. King Mahendra’s authoritarian ambitions and style clashed with these ideals leading to his forced exile in India where he stayed for eight years. He called for a democratic revolution igniting a movement for political change.
A declassified report of that period from the British Embassy in Kathmandu said, “I am advised that Koirala is almost certainly living in the past, rather out of touch with current trends in Nepalese politics. There seems not the least chance of his being allowed to return to Nepal and it would certainly not be to our advantage to be associated in any way with his future political activities. So, few people in Nepal believe in Koirala’s good intentions that it could be damaging to us and possibly even to him if our ambassador were to approach King Mahendra on his behalf.” British Embassy also wrote in its report that “Koirala is, of course, a very hot potato here and it would not take much to upset our apple cart.”
Struggle for treatment and travel
One of the reasons for BP’s release was his deteriorating health and need for treatment. The Times of India (October 3, 1970) carried a report that Koirala had applied for a Nepalese passport immediately after his release. Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa had told him (BP) that “passport will be sent to me in Bombay within three days. I had to leave for Bombay for medical treatment.” BP kept reminding about his application for a year and half through his brother, but the government kept assuring him. Nepal’s then Foreign Minister claimed that he (BP) had not applied for a Nepali passport.
BP Koirala was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and again wrote to the Government of Nepal. He also wrote to the Crown Prince who was then the chairman of the Regency Council in the absence of the King who was away. The Crown Prince’s secretary sent him a letter informing that his request for a passport “has been rejected.” Only then BP approached the Government of India for necessary documents to go abroad for treatment. The Indian government had hoped that the Government of Nepal themselves would have issued a passport to Koirala. Since it did not do so, India “orally informed Nepal on 17 August 1970 to have issued an identity certificate on humanitarian grounds.” The King took India’s issuing of identity card as an act of hostility.
Koirala’s family showed to the British High Commission in New Delhi a certificate from a reputable Indian surgeon which stated that treatment was not available in India, and that he needed to go to France, Germany or Britain. BP was told to approach the British Embassy in Europe for seeking permission to visit London. BP got an eight-day visa from the Federal Republic of Germany. First, he reached Germany, Sweden and then Denmark. BP was issued a travel permit for a one-month stay in London. He arrived on 9 September 1970, and left on 9 October 1970.
Isolation ward set up at GP Koirala treatment center
Koirala’s sponsors were the Socialist International (SI). Personalities like Harold Wilson, Willy Brandt and other prominent leaders were associated with the SI and it did not look appropriate to ignore SI’s request for a permit for Koirala on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment. SI had informed the British Government that Koirala particularly wanted to come to London because of language difficulties in the continent. SI and Hon’ble MP Tom Driberg called the Home Office and informed them that Koirala’s ‘health condition is critical and is near death's door’ if he is not treated well in time. The British Labour Party’s General Secretary on 21 August 1970 also wrote to Foreign Secretary raising the issue of delay in granting permit to Koirala. The letter wondered whether there were “political rather than technical reasons” for not granting permission to visit London. It further said, “We could not lay down stringent conditions of entry for foreign nationals. It is against the tradition of Britain to seek to restrict a foreigner’s engagement in normal political expression and association provided he did not offend against law.”
Although it was natural to seek treatment in Europe, especially for medical procedures unavailable in South Asia, the Government of Nepal expressed unease regarding Koirala's visit to London for treatment. Nepal’s Ambassador in London showed grave concerns at a joint press release issued on 7 October 1970 by the Socialist International and Labour Party saying, “BP is in Britain at the invitation of the Labour Party and the Socialist International. He attended the Labour Party Conference at Blackpool (September 28- October 2), and has had talks with leading representatives of the Labour Party. Mr. Koirala would welcome questions from the press.”
The publication of a statement about Koirala’s presence in London and his willingness to take questions from the press caused “heavy palpitation in the hearts of the Nepalese.” There were phrases in it like reference to the King’s having carried out a ‘military coup’ when he dismissed Koirala to which Nepalese Embassy took strong exception, and promptly issued a press release to counter it, justifying the King’s move being “constitutional to say that the parties sponsoring Mr. Koirala’s case are grossly misinformed on this point. There had never been a military coup to oust Mr. Koirala as the world knows.” The Embassy’s press release said, “the King was forced to take the step in 1960 to safeguard the vital national interest by deposing Koirala,” and claimed, “Nepal had a fully democratic constitution and all the people are participating in the development of the country with the National Panchayat, the supreme legislature.”
Nepal saw it as ‘little nuisance, the little disturbance’ which he could not understand why the Labour Party had got itself involved. It might possibly affect the good relations between the UK and Nepal.
King Mahendra was passing through London for his annual medical checkup en-route for the third Non-Aligned Summit Conference in Lusaka (September 8-10, 1970). Nepal’s Foreign Minister Gehendra Bahadur Rajbhnadari was visiting London on 12 and 13 October 1970. The Nepalese Ambassador’s job was to ensure that BP’s presence in London, King’s stopover and foreign minister’s presence must not coincide. These efforts underscored the regime's unease about Koirala's rising international profile.
King Mahendra viewed BP as a primary threat to the consolidation of his authoritarian ambitions, therefore favoured more coercive and extreme policies to suppress BP Koirala’s rising stature. The King made concerted efforts to sow discord within the Nepali Congress and lure some of Nepali Congress functionaries and ministers to his side. He not only unjustly imprisoned BP, but also dismantled the parliamentary system of democracy that was put in place after arduous struggle and relentless efforts. Under the guise of what he called a Partyless Panchayat Democracy, King Mahendra imposed an authoritarian system.
The King’s hardline approach worked as the geopolitical context at that time was markedly different. At the height of the Cold War, the King exploited the situation to portray BP Koirala as the root cause of all the problems of Nepal. The entire government machinery was mobilized against a single individual-BP Koirala. The state had launched a campaign branding him as an anti-national, and destabilizing force.
The King showed diplomatic displeasure in a discreet yet deliberate manner. According to the declassified report, new German Ambassador to Nepal Dr. Hans Ulrich Meyer-Lindermann arrived on October 6, 1970 succeeding Dr. Wilhelm Loer who was then the “Dean of Diplomatic Corps” and had earned the respect and affection of the Nepalese. He rode on an elephant wearing a silk top at the Crown Prince’s wedding.”
Dr. Ulrich had to face delays in presenting his credentials. While the King’s absence from Nepal for traveling to the third Non-Alignment Summit, Yahya Khan’s state visit to Nepal (27-30 October), and the two-day mourning period for President Nasser, and the Dashain holidays were understandable, the decision to schedule the credentials ceremony after those for non-resident ambassadors was seen as a departure from established protocol. This was interpreted as a response to the Federal Republic of Germany’s decision to permit BP Koirala’s entry into Frankfurt in mid-August.
Nation first
In the 1970s, ominous signs of geopolitical developments were unfolding in South Asia. In 1971, Bangladesh was born out of the Mukti Bahini’s Liberation War. In Nepal, Crown Prince Birendra ascended the throne in January 1972 following the death of King Mahendra. In 1975, the Himalayan state of Sikkim was annexed into the Indian Union. Meanwhile, India witnessed the imposition of Emergency, during which opposition leaders were jailed.
BP Koirala, perceived that South Asia was entering a phase of profound instability. He viewed the deepening crisis in Nepal as a grave threat to the nation's very existence. Koirala attributed the prevailing “preponderance of self-seeking attitudes, communalism, individualistic mentality, and tendency to look to foreign lands” to a lack of national unity. He was facing seven serious charges of treason and sedition in Nepal’s courts—charges that carried the possibility of a death sentence. That did not deter Koirala from his steadfast commitment and vision for the nation. Despite the personal threat to his life, he called for national unity and reconciliation with the king and returned to Nepal on December 30, 1976, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to safeguard Nepal's sovereignty and integrity.
An exemplary lesson for today’s leaders is that, despite brutal repression and inhumane treatment, relentless hostility at the hands of the King, Koirala demonstrated remarkable diplomatic restraint, and refrained from exploiting foreign policy issues in public. His unwavering commitment to national interests was unparalleled, regardless of whether he was in office, imprisoned, in exile, or suffering under the monarchy's oppression.
