Comrade Pushpalal was born in 1924, (i.e. Asar 15, 1981 BS) in Bhangeri village of Ramechhap District, 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 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. For that also he felt the need for a consciously organized group that could analyze and advocate all the problems of the Nepali people who were exploited by the so-called elite group of the society, particularly by the autocratic Rana regime of that time. In this regard, 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 of it 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. At that time Manmohan Adhikari blamed comrade Pushpalal for the so-called “exploiting of his intellectual brain” and lobbied against Pushpalal and got elected as the general secretary of the Party. 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, though the Party congress had approved a republican party program of Pushpalal. It was a big paradox in reality.
However, in early 1961, all political parties were banned by the then King Mahendra staging a royal 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 comrade Pushpalal, and the third line which favored a constitutional assembly led by Mohan Bikram Singh in minority. But history has proved and shown that comrade Puspalal’s line was relatively correct and practical at that time.
Now, almost all the communist parties of Nepal, pretend to regard comrade Pushpalal as their respected leader but most of them do not follow his revolutionary program i.e. ‘New Democracy’, of the radical change of the Nepalese society and tactical line of the united struggle of exploited and oppressed Nepalese people. In fact, comrade 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.
However, 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. In his historical Birth Centenary Year (1924-2024) and 46th Memorial Day, let’s pay our highest regard and Salute to comrade Puspalal. Long live comrade Puspalal ! Long live the communist revolution of Nepal and long live the international communist fraternity.
(The author is the Chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal – Ed.)
