Koiralas pal goes down memory lane

KAPILVASTU: The nation is mourning the demise of Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Condolence messages are flooding and people are recollecting memories with the late Koirala. One Pitambar Pandey, former president, Nepal Students Union Kapilvastu, a resident of Banagai in Motipur VDC shares his frightening yet intriguing memory he had with late Koirala.

Pitambar Pandey recalls the moment he once saved late Koirala’s life. After the death of Koirala, he feels completely helpless and lonely. He says he is drowned in a sea of sorrow and grief from which he finds difficult to come out. Pandey, a living martyr of the Bahadurgunj incident said, “I saved Koirala risking my life.”

It was the year 1992, he said. Nepali Congress Kapilvastu had organised a mass meeting at Bahadurgunj. No one had even imagined that Girijababu would be attacked. However, some goons (mandales) assaulted him. “We saved him and I was hurt”, said Pandey. Recalling the incident he said, “Girijababu came to see me at a hospital and assured all support for my treatment.”

However, though late Koirala became Prime Minister of the country for five times, I never took any advantage, he said. With tearful eyes and heavy heart, Pandey said, “He was simple and honest. Though he himself was not in good health, he used to ask me about my health condition frequently. I had a great desire to see him once, but could not.”

Pandey said that Koirala used to write him letters time and on. Showing the letters sent by late Koirala, Pandey said, “I had a close relation with him. As Girijababu used to have hectic schedules, Pandey said that they used to exchange many things through letters. He whispered sobbing, “Koirala used to respond to my letters himself.”