Kathmandu — Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balen Shah, has expressed hope that no one will have to sacrifice their life as a martyr again in Nepal. In a message issued on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day, Shah said that fulfilling the dreams of the martyrs is a collective responsibility that must be carried forward by all citizens.
Remembering the Sacrifice and Unfinished Change
Shah noted that 85 years have passed since Ganglal Shrestha, Dashrath Chand, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, and Shukraraj Shastri were brutally executed by the then state while demanding an end to the Rana regime. Although the Rana rule ended a decade later, he said the state failed to transform into a system that truly served the people, forcing Nepalis to continue their struggle.
“Over the last 85 years, political systems changed repeatedly, but the character of power did not,” Shah wrote. He said that Nepali citizens have time and again become martyrs, yet the aspirations for which they sacrificed their lives remain unfulfilled.
Reference to Recent Youth Movements
Recalling recent events, Shah said that, similar to the sacrifices made 85 years ago, youths and students participating in peaceful protests during the Bhadau Gen-Z movement—calling for good governance and an end to corruption—were compelled to lose their invaluable lives.
Call for Accountability and Fulfillment of Martyrs’ Dreams
Shah stated that Nepal is now moving forward on the path of realizing the martyrs’ aspirations. He stressed that the responsibility lies with the present generation to dismantle deeply rooted corruption, establish good governance, and build Nepal into an economically prosperous country.
He further emphasized the need to end excessive political party influence within state institutions and to make the state more accountable and transparent. “There is no longer any excuse to ignore the sacrifices of the martyrs,” Shah said. “The time has come to honor their blood by fulfilling their dreams.”
Shah also said that the responsibility of building a corruption-free and well-governed nation has now arrived. “This year’s Martyrs’ Day is a moment to remember all known and unknown martyrs and to commit—through thought, word, and action—to making their sacrifices meaningful,” he said. “May no one ever have to become a martyr again.”
