Kathmandu, November 2:

Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala today recalled memories of his eldest brother and former Prime Minister Matrika Prasad Koirala and stressed need for national consensus in the present context.

The NC president was launching the late leader’s memoir titled ‘A Role In A Revolution’.

“My brother was expert in Bengali and Maithali languages,” recalled Koirala, “this book has many information that I do not know.” The book in English, published by Jagadamba Prakashan, is also a collection of MP Koirala’s letters corresponded with the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru as well as the ministers of Nepal.

Referring to the past, the former Prime Minister said, “Because of the national consensus in those days, we earned support from India, China and the international community. But we are on the brink of losing this support now.” He reiterated the need for national consensus, unity and cooperation for the next 10 years to strengthen the foundation of nationalism and democracy. “We have to cash in on our strategic geopolitical structure, which is our strength,”

he said.

Referring his meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he said he informed Ban about a Maoist leader entering the CA Hall with UN-verified arms. Since the UNMIN is monitoring the arms, such lapses on the part of the UN body might create adverse impacts, he said.

The UN should be alert and check the Maoists-led government’s activities in the changed political context, said Koirala. “However, the press interpreted it in a different way.”

“My request to the Security-General is ‘either keep the arms with the UN or hand them over to the government’. Nepali people have great faith in the UN and are watching them closely,” he said.

The preface of the book by Ganesh Raj Sharma, senior advocate, writes, “Previous to writing the memoir contained in this volume, MP Koirala had long ago prepared an earlier draft of his autobiography. A reputed New Delhi publisher, to whom that manuscript was entrusted, later reported that it was lost. Later he started writing again and he was able to complete his life story up to the point of his appointment as prime minister for the first time, at the age of 39.”