Sat Salko Kranti/ Revolution of 1951 in Nepal

The revolution of 1951 was the first political movement of Nepal against the dynastic regime of the Rana Prime Ministers. It Nepalese it is called Sat Salko Kranti corresponding to year 2007 of Bikram Samvat era. This revolution was led by the educated and exiled people of Nepal, most of whom were educated in other countries including India. They came together to form several political parties such as Nepal Praja Parishad and Nepali Congress (with its military wing called Nepali Congress’s Liberation Army) to overthrow the hereditary prime ministers Ranas by force.

Such revolutionary activities against Ranas were explicitly supported by the then shah monarch King Tribhuvan (Shah). Prime Minister Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana tried to suppress the revolt by executing several people but the crisis deepened when Tribhuvan fled from Nepal and took refuge in New Delhi. However, Prime Minister Rana responded this move by crowing Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, grandson of Tribhuvan as new King of Nepal. The new king was not recognized by international community including India.

The crisis ended after signing of a tripartite agreement in Delhi between Ranas, King Tribhuvan and Nepali Congress. This so called “Delhi Accord” secured return of Tribhuvan as King of Nepal with ultimate powers in his hand. It was also agreed that an elected Constituent Assembly will frame a democratic constitution of the country in two years. An interim cabinet will be formed of 10 ministers of which 5 will be from Nepali Congress Party. Thus, the “Interim Government of Nepal Act 1951” was enacted as one of the most prototype of the constitution of Nepal in 1951 with some democratic elements in the government. A few months later, Nepali Congress members resigned from the interim government and King Tribhuvan appointed a new non-Rana prime minister Matrika Prasad Koirala, as head of Nepal’s first democratically elected government.

But within 18 months, another coup was organized by Tribhuvan’s son Mahendra, who dismissed the Koirala government on the ground that parliamentary democracy is a failure. He imposed his own constitution and what was established is so called “Panchayat system”, a partyless government in Nepal.