Kunwar Inderjit Singh
Kunwar Indrajit Singh | |
---|---|
कुँवर इन्द्रजीत सिंह | |
20th Prime Minister of Nepal | |
In office 26 July 1957 – 15 November 1957 | |
Monarch | Mahendra |
Preceded by | Tanka Prasad Acharya |
Succeeded by | Subarna Shamsher Rana |
Personal details | |
Born | 1906 United Democratic Party, Nepali Congress |
Kunwar Indrajit Singh (
Pre-revolution
Early life
K.I. Singh was born in the Doti District of Nepal, and his father was a minor Thakuri landlord.[3] He was educated in India, and also served in the Indian Army, where he received medical training. Eventually, he set up a medical practice in Nautanwa, an Indian town on the India-Nepal border.
Nepali Congress organizer
Before the revolution, he met with Bholanath Sharma, a
During the revolution
The revolution
When the fighting began, he crossed the border into Nepal with a group of around a dozen men and around 8-9 rifles. He set himself up in the village of Myudihawa, but was faced with much pressure from government forces, which forced him and his men to move to Karabla, another village that was more defensible for it was surrounded on three sides by a river. Though he lacked both weapons and food at first, he was able to get both from the countryside, defeating government forces, his old Indian ex-serviceman friends, and a wealthy
K.I. Singh's main focus throughout the revolution was the city of Bhairawa (current day
The Delhi Accord
The
The Raksha Dal Revolt
The Raksha Dal was an auxiliary security force set up immediately after the revolution, mostly from members of the
Exile and return
Following his escape to Tibet, K.I. Singh was allowed in by the Communist Chinese government and stayed in Beijing during his exile. During his exile, he lived a secluded life, and was not heard from for around two years.[7] He also did not receive any support from the Chinese government, and apparently did not meet either Mao Zedong or Zhou Enlai. While he was away, he became a legend in Nepal, and the "Society of Friends of K.I. Singh" was formed, to agitate for his return.[7]
In 1955, he was sent back to Kathmandu from Beijing for allegedly threatening suicide if he wasn't allowed to return.
Post-return political career
United Democratic Party
In October 1955, K.I. Singh formed the
Singh did not espouse any particular ideology, though he was generally left-wing. Many claimed that he was a communist, but he denied it, even though many of his views on issues coincided with those of the Communist Party, and the communists allegedly assisted in the Raksha Dal Revolt.[5] He was said to be both a royalist and a revolutionary, and he espoused nationalist, isolationist, and anti-imperialist rhetoric. He claimed to not work for any party or have any ideology; rather, he was solely working for the betterment of Nepal. His view on India was contradictory, both claiming India was an imperialist power who controlled Nepal and talking of the need of Nepali-Indian cooperation.
In July 1957, K.I. Singh was made Prime Minister by Mahendra, replacing his predecessor Tanka Prasad Acharya of the Nepal Praja Parishad. However, his 110-day premiership was unremarkable, and mostly wasted with conspiracies and attempts to curtail Singh's enemies.[8] He resigned as Prime Minister on 15 November, however the reason for this is unclear. There were claims that there were conspiracies against Singh, involving foreign powers like the United Kingdom, though it is not known for sure.[8] There were also rumors that he resigned due to a disagreement with the King.[4]
In 1959, there were the first democratic elections in Nepali history, where Nepali Congress won a massive victory, taking 74 of the 109 seats available. Many notable party leaders, like K.I. Singh and Tanka Prasad Acharya, did not win their seats, but their parties still gained some.[6] With Nepali Congress forming a government, the second largest party, the right-wing Gorkha Parishad, who were supported and made up by the Ranas, became the opposition. However, Singh wanted to lead the official opposition party, and therefore formed a United Front with Acharya's wing of the Praja Parishad, the Nepal Praja Parishad (Acharya).[8] This United Front was, according to Singh, formed to guard Nepal's highest values, like nationalism, democracy, good government and social justice. Later on in 1959, Singh convinced the two members of parliament for Acharya's party to instead join his party, leaving Acharya with no political representation.[8]
Panchayat System
In 1960,
See also
References
- ^ "Nepal". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- JSTOR 44144808.
- ^ )
- ^ ISBN 9781134264902
- ^ JSTOR 40393668.
- ^ JSTOR 4400136.
- ^ JSTOR 3023744.
- ^ JSTOR 3024359.
- ^ S2CID 154109979.
- Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 111.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-01.