Dec 16, Kathmandu: A black day is being observed today throughout the country in protest of the dismissal of the first democratically elected government and parliament on the backup of the then Royal Nepal Army.

The then King Mahendra had arrested and imprisoned several popular leaders including the first people-elected Prime Minster BP Koirala and introduced the party-less Panchayat Political System in the country some six decades ago on Push 1, 2017 BS(December 15, 1960 AD).

Popular leader BP Koirala and other leaders were arrested while they were attending a program organized by Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth wing of the Nepali Congress, and imprisoned for three months in Singha Durbar and then in Sundarijal. Leaders including BP were detained within the high-rise walls at the quarter of a senior Nepal Army official in Sundarijal. The place gained popularity as ‘Bandi Griha (detainee home)’ after this imprisonment.

BP authored various literary books such as ‘Doshi Chasma’ ' story collection was published in 1951 AD. and a spectrum of short fiction during his jail life in Sundarijal. The jail life proved to be a boon for the veteran democratic leader to explore his literary writings. BP credited a dozen of his noted literary creations to Nepali literature. He has established his eminence in Nepali literature, especially by introducing Freudian libidinal psychology in his fiction and novels.

During his imprisonment in Sundarijal, BP had authored ‘Shwetbhairabi’, a collection of stories and novels including ‘Modiaain’, ‘Babu, Ama Ra Chhora’, ‘Sumnima’, ‘Teen Ghumti’ and ‘Hitler Ra Yahudi’. Likewise, his biographical epics Atmakatha’, ‘Atmabritanta’, ‘Jail Journal’ and ‘Feri Sundarijal’ are more popular on the political front at home and abroad.

Along with BP the then Speaker Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, ministers and party leaders Ganeshman Singh, Surya Prasad Upadhyay, Diwan Singh Rai, Ra Narayan Mishra, and Yogendraman Sherchan were detained in Sundarijal following the coup orchestrated by the monarch on  December 15.

After the publication of the story collection 'Doshi Chashma', BP, who was engaged in politics was gifted to compose Sundarijal Bandigriha literature. From this prison, Nepali literature could get dozens of works of sexual psychoanalysis. Koirala composed novels such as 'The Shvetbhairavi story collection, 'Modi Ain', 'Babu, Ama and Son', 'Sumnima', 'Tin Ghumti', 'Hitler and Jew' among the works composed in the prison house.

In the same way, the collection of dailies from 1959 to 1968 AD while in prison, 'Prison Journal', the collection of dailies written directly from Tribhuvan International Airport. After being detained in the Sundarijal detention center after returning to the country with the policy of national unity and reconciliation on December 30, 1976 AD, 'Feri Sundarijal', and 'Khorem Katha', were composed on December 15, 1960 AD. After the royal coup on December 15, 1960 AD, the Nepali literary world got it.

After the incident on December 15 along with BP, then Speaker Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, ministers and party leaders Ganeshman Singh, Surya Prasad Upadhyay, Diwansingh Rai, Ram Narayan Mishra, Yogendraman Sherchan, and others were imprisoned in Sundarijal jail. On September 9, 2004 AD, the detention center was declared as a BP museum.

In the museum, important things used in the life of BP and the leaders placed here are displayed. It is said that the reconstruction of the main building of the museum, which was damaged by the earthquake of  April 25, 2015 AD, has reached its final stage. It is said that the archeology department has completed the reconstruction of the museum in its original form.

Organizations including Tarun Dal have been celebrating December 15 as Black Day the day when democracy was attacked. On this occasion, Nepali Congress and Nepal Tarun Dal, and other fraternal and well-wishing organizations are also going to celebrate Black Day by organizing various programs across the country.