The revolution of 1951 () in Nepal, also referred to as Sat Salko Kranti, was a political movement against the direct rule by the Rana dynasty of Nepal which had lasted for 104 years. It marks the beginning of the political awakening and democratic movements in Nepal, and resulted in immediate abolition of the institutionalized hereditary Prime Minister system in Nepal.
Background of Rana regime
The rise of the Ranas was heightened by plotting the Kot massacre by Jung Bahadur Rana and his brothers gained power, thus reduced the power of Nepalese monarch to a figurehead, and the position of Prime Minister was made powerful and hereditary. The Rana regime pursued a policy of isolating Nepal from external influences. The Ranas further established their power by turning pro-British, and assisted the British during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857.
Organization for revolution
Popular dissatisfaction with the Ranas began to surface among educated individuals, including those from within the Rana ruling class who felt marginalized within the hierarchy. Some Nepalese who had participated in the Indian Independencemovement and experienced exile were eager to liberate Nepal from Rana rule. These individuals sought to bring about political change and end the Rana regime in Nepal. The political parties like the Praja Parishad and the Nepali Rastriya Congress were formed in exile by people who wanted to stage both military and popular political revolutions in Nepal.
Uprisings and incidents
Nepal Praja Parishad
The founding of the Nepal Praja Parishad was proposed by Dashrath Chand and Tanka Prasad Acharya in a hotel in Bhimphedi, Makwanpur District of Nepal. It was founded in 1936 when they received the support of additional people including Dharma Bhakta Mathema among others. The organization's head office was kept in Dharma Bhakta Mathema's house in OmBahal. Initially, Nepal Praja Parishad distributed hand-written pamphlets among the people and wrote articles against the Rana Dynasty in Nepal in an Indian socialist paper Janata and another paper published in Calcutta named Advance. Later Tanka Prasad Acharya brought a printing machine from India, and the organization started to distribute pamphlets against the Rana dynasty to enlighten the people against the rule of the Ranas in Nepal. On January 19, 1941, the court of the Ranas gave the death penalty to Shukraraj Shastri (who was not involved in Praja Parishad), Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Ganga Lal Shrestha, and Dashrath Chand, who are now recognized as the martyrs of Nepal. Many others were sentenced to jail and many were exiled. Thus Nepal Praja Parishad was dissolved in January 1941.
National congress
On January 26, 1947, the Nepali National Congress was formed in India under the leadership of Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala. Since establishment Congress organized underground activities but on March 4, 1947 (Falgun, 2003 B.S.) Workers of Biratnagar Jute mill demonstrated and started striking against the management. under the leadership of Girija Prasad Koirala and Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala. Nepali National Congress participated in this Biratnagar jute mill strike, supporting the strikers and demanded a Political labour union. To suppress the strike the Rana regime sent the state troops over the long and difficult mountain trail to Biratnagar. The strike continued until the troops reached Biratnagar and arrested the leaders. Nepali National congress held a delegates' conference at Jogbani, India and resolved to initiate a nationwide 'satyagraha' (civil disobedience movement on the Indian model) and thus countrywide anti-Rana demonstration started.
Jayatu Sanskritam
In June 1947, students enrolled in the Tin Dhara school launched the Jayatu Sanskritam movement, demanding democracy and inclusion of modern subjects in the curriculum. It was the first student uprising in Nepal's history, and was led by Parashuram Pokhrel, Purna Prasad Brahman, Sribhadra Sharma Khanal, Ram Prasad Neupane, Kamal Raj Regmi, Rajeshwor Devkota and Gokarna Shastri. Forty-two of the participants were exiled by the Rana rulers, and others were imprisoned. Exiles in India later joined the agitation launched for the establishment of democracy under by B.P. Koirala and other leaders.