Prachanda Visits Wartime Shelter in Rukum During Election Tour

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, coordinator of the Nepal Communist Party, is currently busy with election activities in Rukum and Rolpa.

After the end of the decade-long armed conflict, Dahal has contested elections from six different constituencies across the country. But this time, he has focused his political activities mainly in Rukum East. While other parties are also increasing their election campaigns, Prachanda has been touring the hilly areas of Rolpa and Rukum with strong confidence.

On Thursday, he visited the house in Bhumme Rural Municipality–7, Lawang, Rukum East, where he had once taken shelter during the “People’s War.” He observed the house closely, including the room where he stayed and the bed he used at that time.

Dahal became emotional while remembering the days of the insurgency. Before reaching the shelter house, he also went to Mahat village, where he danced with local women to traditional folk songs. He said it reminded him of the past.

While climbing up to the shelter house, he said, “This is the house where I stayed. This was my room. Maybe this was the same bed. It feels exciting now. It feels like a story, but it is real history.”

He also said that he had written important party documents while staying in that room. “Many documents were prepared here. Even the proposals and programs for Politburo meetings were written here,” he said. “At that time, Pampha Bhusal and I were members of the Politburo. Today, we are here together again.”

Dahal said that the visit to the shelter house had sent a strong message across the country. He also paid tribute to the martyrs. He said that during the difficult days of the conflict, people across Nepal supported the movement and helped bring the republic.

He also recalled that the state had once announced a bounty on his head while he was living there. “A price was placed on my head, and I had to stay here for a long time,” he said. “But we felt free because we were among the people. Even when the government announced a bounty, we were not afraid. We were spread across the country, while they were limited to Kathmandu.”

Recalling the conflict period, Dahal claimed that Maoist forces had once controlled about 80 percent of the country. He said even the United Nations had accepted this fact. He added that even today, the Communist Party remains close to the people and continues to stand as a support system for them.