Birth Centenary of Com Pushpalal-A Revolutionary Communist Leader of Nepal
Lok Narayan Subedi
Comrade Pushpalal was born in 1924, in Bhangeri village of Ramechhap District of Nepal, in a lower-middle-class family. He was the second brother of the great martyr Gangalal and a brilliant person from his early childhood.
Being a person from the martyr’s family, he had some radical thinking in his mind towards society and thought to do something for the majority of poor and exploited people of the country – Nepal, by raising their voices for justice, against class exploitation and social oppression. He felt the need for a consciously organised group that could analyse and advocate all the major problems of the Nepali people who were exploited by the elites in the society, particularly by the autocratic Rana regime of that time. He joined the then National Congress Party, along with other friends, before establishing the Communist Party of Nepal on 15 September 1949.
The Communist Party of Nepal was formed to struggle against the autocratic Rana regime, feudalism, and imperialism. The founding general secretary was comrade Pushpalal who played an important role in the 1950/51 uprising that overthrew the Rana regime.
In 1954 the first Party Congress was held clandestinely in Patan. In 1957 the second Party Congress was held in Phohora Durbar, Kathmandu. For the first time, the Party could hold its Congress openly. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi was elected as the general secretary of the Party. The Party Congress had approved a republican Party Program moved by Pushpalal. However, in early 1961, all political parties were banned by the then King Mahendra who staged a coup d’etat. A wave of repression against all political parties, especially the Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal was initiated by the government.
Rayamajhi had expressed certain faith in the politics of the monarch, something that provoked stern reactions from other sections of the Party. To resolve the conflict a Central Plenum was convened in Darbhanga, India. The Plenum lasted one month. Three lines emerged, a pro-constitutional monarchy line led by Rayamajhi, a line that wanted to restore the dissolved parliament and launch broad mass movements based on the common minimum political consensus against the kingship led by Pushpalal, and the third line which favored a constitutional assembly led by Mohan Bikram Singh in minority. But history has proved and shown that Pushpalal’s line was relatively correct and practical at that time.
Now, almost all the communist parties of Nepal, regard Pushpalal as their respected leader, but most of them do not follow his revolutionary program i.e. ‘New Democracy’, – radical change of the Nepalese society and tactical line of the united struggle of exploited and oppressed Nepalese people.
Pushpalal was a man of a great vision and mission, and his foresightedness was proved in 1990 and also by the success of the broader joint movement of 2006. Time and again, he insisted on the unity of the communists, Lefts, and Congress to overthrow the feudal dictatorial Panchayat system and monarchy which was proved in the second mass movement of April 2006.
His dream of making Nepal free from all types of class exploitation and social oppression is yet to be fulfilled. Only by fulfilling this objective aspiration in a real sense can we pay a real tribute to him. He always inspired all the revolutionary communists, real revolutionary Left and progressive forces, and the people of Nepal to be honestly and truly dedicated to the country and its people. He was a great friend of all anti-people, anti-imperialist forces of the world. In his historical birth centenary year (1924-2024) and 46th Memorial Day, we pay our highest regard and salute Com Pushpalal.
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