A political and historical documentary titled Hijacking for Democracy was screened at the Nepal Tourism Board Hall in Bhrikutimandap on Thursday. 

The documentary is based on the incident of hijacking of a plane carrying cash of Nepal Rastra Bank by the Nepali Congress. The Nepali Congress at that time was revolting against the Panchayat polity for the restoration of democracy and it hijacked the plane to fund the cash-strapped party to continue the revolt. Former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala was the mastermind of the hijacking. 

The documentary is directed by journalist Jagat Nepal. 

The 1973 Plane Hijack (also known as the Biratnagar Plane Hijack) was the first such hijacking in the history of Nepal. It was stated that the main purpose of the hijacking was to gather funds for an armed revolution for the restoration of multi party democracy in the country. 

The 19-seater then Royal Nepal Airlines Twin Otter passenger aircraft, bound for Kathmandu from Biratnagar, was hijacked to Farbisganj, Bihar, where it was forced to land on a grass field. The three million Indian rupees the plane was carrying was looted by the hijackers. The hijackers who boarded the plane were Basant Bhattarai, Durga Subedi, and Nagendra Prasad Dhungel. After the screening, NC senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel shared that the party was forced to hijack the plane to keep the party afloat. 

NC leader Gagan Thapa also shared that the documentary has shown the NC’s contribution in establishing the democracy in the country.