(About his release after imprisonment by the British for his political activism. Page 29, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
The movement in Biratnagar began about then, around March 1947. The Nepali National Congress was established on January 25, and the action started in March. That movement was led by Girija and was meant to gain some rights for the laborers. The laborers there had no rights whatsoever, so the mill owners were able to do as they pleased. Girija and others worked as clerks in the jute mill, where they found two or three people exploiting the laborers very badly. Living conditions were poor, with no supply of water in the quarters. The demands put forward by the strikers included the right to form a trade union. That strike was completely devoted to the rights and welfare of laborers, but it was also true that this was the first-ever political action on Nepali soil.
(Page 39, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
It seemed that the Rana government was mired in confusion. It was taking no action, doing nothing at all. Meanwhile, we were continuing with our demonstrations and speeches. The word was spreading throughout the villages – it seemed as if the whole country was agitated. Then, finally, the government deployed the army and it became clear why the government had waited so long. Everyone was rounded up the morning after the soldiers arrived. Tarini and Girija were arrested; then, it was my turn. I had been planning to picket at the main gate of the jute mill in the morning. Thuldaju (Matrika Prasad Koirala) had left Biratnagar at that time for Jogbani. It was hot summer season when we were taken, about March-April.
After our arrest, we were taken before the governor. We were made to sit on the lawn in the yard while the governor tried to establish contact with Kathmandu on the wireless set so that he could receive instructions about what to do with us. He did not dare make his own decisions. There were six of us: me, Girija, Tarini, Biku, Maheshwar and Yuvaraj. They kept us there for four hours, without water or tea.
(Pages 39-40, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
It was after ten or twelve days (of fasting), I think, that Girija and Tarini were brought to see me. They themselves had been in jail since the year 1947.
The two were dressed in white. They were still being put up at that house meant for Juddha Shumshere’s daughter and had been enjoying the same facilities as before. Their diet included mutton and so on. Meanwhile, here I was, relegated to this dungeon. They were quite shocked by all this. There was no netting on the bed, and mosquitoes were about. Girija sat towards my head and Tarini sat by my feet. They had been told, “Your brother is about to die; try to make him understand.”
My fast seemed to have received extensive publicity in India, so my brothers told me, “There is no sense in breaking the fast. The government is about to buckle under.” That’s what they said, but my condition was no good. They leant forward as if to massage my legs, and whispered, “We were brought here just to try to convince you to give up the fast, but continue if you can. There is great pressure on the prime minister to set you free.” I replied, “Whatever you say, I am in my fast. There is no need for you to even come visit, and no nee to try to persuade me. You may go.”
And so, Girija and Tarini left…
(Page 89, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
We organized for the first skirmish: Bishwabandhu Thapa, Girija and others made preparations for the occupation of Biratnagar. Uttam Bikram was governor there at the time. Bishwabandhu was related to him, so he used to come and go there. Bishwabandhu was a bit of a wag, and he apparently told Uttam Bikram that we were about to start something and that he should quietly surrender. For his part, Uttam Bikram had replied wryly, “We will just have to see what happens, won’t we?”
Our people started the action as soon as the weapons arrived. I do not know the details of the fighting, for I was in Patna at that time. Perhaps Girija or Bishwabandhu could provide the information…
(Page 109, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
The Central Committee session was coming up in Birgunj. I felt I had been president of the party for long enough and decided to withdraw. I suggested to the Working Committee that Subarnaji be the next president. Ganesh Manji, however, said, “It is I who should come after you.” I could not place too much reliance on Ganesh Manji in the post. Subarnaji was not someone to go on tour, and as president I could not go out campaigning for him, even though everyone knew I supported him. Ganesh Manji campaigned energetically.
Perhaps my own family was divided on this. Girija, for example, may have voted for Ganesh Manji. However, Subarnaji was victorious by a wide margin.
(Page 174, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
When it came to assigning tickets, I had planned not to give them to Bishwabandhu, Tulsi Giri or Girija. This would make them become more active in the party organization, I thought, which would make them ready for another struggle if the need arose. This is why I had told them, “You should not run in the elections.” Tulsi had no interest in the polls, nor would he have won. He gladly accepted my suggestion, and Girija, too, did as soon as I told him.
(Referring to the 1959 general elections. Page 194, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
In the midst of all this, Girija went on a hunger strike. He was subsequently released, and had a meeting with the king. Our own time of release had begun to near. The king and Girija had a good meeting, with the former saying, “I respect BP a lot, and I am willing to speak to him. You go and say this to him.”
One day, Girija came to Sundarijal to meet me specially. As a rule, we were allowed meetings once a month, but he did not come on the scheduled day. He reported on his conversation with the king, and I said, “Fine, I too want to meet him. It does not make any sense to keep us in jail like this. The country’s situation has deteriorated, and I feel that the king, too, finds himself in a dark passage with no light up ahead. We, too, are in an unsettled state. I therefore think that we should indeed have a talk, but the meeting should be without preconditions. I will not demand any condition, for my part. If he is agreeable to this, then we should meet.”
Girija reported my point of view to King Mahendra, who also said, “I shall not place pre-conditions either.”
At this very moment, though, India hatched a great conspiracy. It turns out that the king had said, “Do not repeat this plan to anyone.” Later, the king told Girija, “You have betrayed me twice.”
At that time, Surya Bahadur Thapa was prime minister…
The prime minister was very keen to know what the king had discussed with Girija. Now, Girija is someone who moves around a bit, and Surya Bahadur was constantly pestering him about what was going on. Girija would reply, “Everything is fine. Why do you ask? I met BP. Things are fine.” Meanwhile, there were apparently anxious moments in Delhi.
Perhaps there were instructions to find out if the king and BP had reached a compromise, and if so to seek ways to perhaps spoil it. The part played by Surya Prasad Upadhyay (one of the senior leaders of the Nepali Congress) in all of this was quite contemptible and treacherous. And Surya Bahadur Thapa, too, played a similar role.
At one point, Girija stopped meeting them. He had had three or four audiences and come away greatly impressed with the king. I also heard that the king was impressed with Girija. Girija and I would talk alone for hours. Earlier, the generals would be present, but not then. I would share everything that transpired with Ganesh Manji. By that time, only the two of us, Ganesh Manji and I, were left in Sundarijal jail. While some of our other companions had been released, the rest had been transferred to other jails. Kisunji (Krishna Prasad Bhattarai) had been sent to Nakkhu.
In any case, the prime minister would send a car over to Girija as soon as he returned from the royal palace. He would say that he too was having a difficult time. Girija asked the king, “Tell me, the prime minister keeps asking me how things are going. Should I trust him?” The king replied, “You can tell the prime minister, but no one else.” But the moment Girija shared his information with the prime minister, everything collapsed…
What was happening was that the prime minister would pass some information to Surya Prasad Upadhyay, who would then relay it to the Indian Embassy, and the Indian ambassador would then use his means to relate back to the king, that Girija had said this or that. And when asked where Girija had said it, Raj Bahadur would say, in Raxaul…
Once, Girija came over with a letter from the Indian ambassador. He also had a typed slip from the king with some discussion points about land reform and so on. Girija was to take back my views on those topics. I said, “I will speak to him personally about these matters, and in good time.” The king’s point of view was, “If I talk to BP, it will be in this very room. I will call him, and sit with him in this very chamber. If we come to an agreement, then I will release him. Not only that, I will take his advice in my work. If we cannot agree, he will remain in jail.”
At about that time, Girija’s wife Sushma died of burns. Girija did not let the tragedy affect him, and was fully engaged in trying to arrange the talk between me and the king. Girija’s role at that time was very significant. Ganesh Manji said, “I did not know Girija was such an able negotiator. I had not expected him to be so politically astute.”
(Pages 281-283, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
I met my party workers and was impressed by their eagerness. I also sensed the enthusiasm of the people. I felt the conditions were in our favor. I was finding myself unable to understand the king’s reaction. I therefore sent Girija to Kathmandu, instructing him to try to make something out of it. The mistake Girija made was that he met the prime minister and not the king. The king did not give him an audience when he tried, so he met with the prime minister, who said, “The king is in a rage. How can your brother say such things?
He is very angry. Your brother will surely be arrested again.” That was the impression he conveyed, and Girija came rushing back in the belief that I would be sent back to jail.
…So, Girija came to Kathmandu by the morning flight. Immediately, we took a car and left that very afternoon. We arrived in Patna at night and after a few days there we arrived in Banaras.
(Referring to events after his release from Sundarijal jail. Pages 290-291, Atmabrittanta: Late Life Recollections)
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