Gagan Thapa Recalls 1961 Chitwan Massacre at RSP Convention

Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa declared on Sunday that 50 individuals were buried alive or killed in 1961 (2018 BS) at Chitwan’s Guest House Chaur. Thapa stated these citizens faced execution by the state simply for uttering “Jay Nepal” and demanding democratic governance.

Speaking as the guest of honor during the inaugural session of the first general convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Thapa reminded attendees of the local sacrifices. Thapa noted that on the very soil of Chitwan where the party now stands, 50 bodies were buried for demanding democracy. He urged the new political force to remember this sacrifice while flying their blue flag.

Thapa emphasized that modern political freedom rests upon past bloodshed. He cautioned the gathering that beneath their blue flag lies the red blood of historical martyrs. Thapa asserted that the contributions and sacrifices of past democratic movements must never be forgotten by contemporary politicians.

The historical tragedy noted by Thapa connects directly to the resistance movement against the Panchayat system. This resistance ignited after King Mahendra overthrew the democratically elected government of B.P. Koirala on December 15, 1960 (Poush 1, 1017 BS). The Nepali Congress subsequently launched an armed revolution led by Subarna Shamsher in 1961.

Nepali Congress Chitwan District President Rajeshwar Khanal confirmed that the Guest House Chaur incident remains a central part of that armed struggle. Khanal explained that the revolution began immediately after the royal coup dismantled democracy. The regional campaign was mobilized under the local leadership of Bakhan Singh and Lal Dhwaj Gurung.

During that military operation, government forces intercepted the revolutionary fighters holding the four-star flag at the present-day Guest House Chaur and adjacent transport department buildings. Khanal stated that soldiers executed the agitators on-site. While some bodies were dismembered there, others were transported to the Narayani River and buried under 1,000 tractors of river gravel.

Journalist Sitaram Baral identified Jagat Prakash Jung Shah as the principal military commander of the Chitwan uprising. Baral documented that Shah descended from Ranodyot Shah, the eldest son of King Ran Bahadur Shah. Shah had previously contested the 1959 legislative elections in Dhading under the Nepali Congress banner, losing to Bharat Shamsher.

Baral noted that Shah joined the armed resistance following the 1960 royal coup and successfully led the capture of Chitwan. Although the pro-democracy forces successfully seized the district, the royal army from Kathmandu captured Shah through deceptive tactics.

While ordinary rebels faced immediate execution, royal forces transferred Shah to the Narayanhiti Palace due to his aristocratic ties to King Mahendra. Baral recorded that Shah refused King Mahendra’s demands for a formal surrender. Consequently, he was returned to Chitwan, where soldiers systematically amputated his limbs before beheading him.

Nepali Congress Central Committee member Tek Prasad Gurung recalled that local leaders like Udayanath Adhikari managed to escape the purge. Gurung noted that a vast number of local party workers were systematically executed by the army and buried in mass graves at the site.

Gurung stated that the democratic forces held absolute control over Chitwan for approximately 72 hours during the armed revolution. The royal army subsequently arrived in force, re-established state control, and initiated mass arrests. Rebels who failed to escape were brought to the Guest House Chaur, tortured, and killed.

According to Gurung, between 80 and 85 party workers went missing during the military crackdown. It was later understood that the state forces executed the majority of these missing activists.

Gurung revealed that former Chitwan Congress President Udayanath Adhikari survived the roundup despite being detained at the Guest House grounds. Adhikari was spared execution because he had previously served as the academic guru to the prevailing military commander. The commander refused to execute his teacher and ordered his release.

The absolute death toll of the Guest House Chaur incident remains unverified by official state records. Khanal noted that historical literature by Dr. Suryamani Dhakal originally verified 26 deaths during the democratic uprising.

Subsequent historical investigations by the local party structure uncovered an additional 31 casualties linked to the incident. Khanal admitted that establishing an undisputed final number remains a challenge for contemporary researchers.

The Chitwan Congress has compiled a verified roster of 57 individuals believed to be buried at Guest House Chaur. This calculation presumes that the missing combatants of the 1961 campaign were killed. Khanal stated that finalizing the biographical details of all victims requires ongoing archival research.

Historical records indicate that the Chitwan rebellion drew democratic fighters from multiple districts. Volunteers traveled from Tanahun, Gorkha, Lamjung, and Dhading to participate in the 72-hour liberation of the district.

Gurung confirmed that specific casualties include Hariprasad Gurung, whose death was verified during the military counter-offensive. Additionally, regional activist Buddhi Singh Gurung remains permanently listed among the missing personnel from the 1961 clash.

History of the Anti-Panchayat Armed Revolution

The 1961 Chitwan uprising formed part of a broader armed campaign orchestrated by the Nepali Congress against the autocratic Panchayat system. Following King Mahendra’s royal coup in December 1960, political parties were banned, and leadership was imprisoned. Operating from exile in India, party leader Subarna Shamsher organized cross-border insurgent operations to restore constitutional democracy. The 72-hour capture of Chitwan represented one of the most significant urban seizures by pro-democracy fighters before state military forces suppressed the rebellion.

FAQs

What was the 1961 Chitwan Guest House Chaur incident?

The incident refers to a military crackdown in 1961 where state forces executed and buried pro-democracy fighters who had captured Chitwan for 72 hours during the armed revolution against the Panchayat system.

Who led the armed democratic revolution in Chitwan?

The armed rebellion in Chitwan was commanded by Jagat Prakash Jung Shah, alongside local leaders such as Bakhan Singh, Lal Dhwaj Gurung, and Udayanath Adhikari.

How many people died in the Guest House Chaur massacre?

While Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa cited 50 bodies, local party records have documented up to 57 individuals, including 26 deaths initially recorded in historical texts and 31 missing persons presumed dead.