Proportional participation of Dalits in every State organ demanded

File photo of Dalit rights activists organizing protest program demanding equal rights.

Kathmandu, Feb 20: The civic society leaders have demanded a proportional participation of Dalit community in every structure of the State, stating that they were left behind in many ways, including economically, socially and culturally.

At an interaction programme organized by dalit.online.com on the occasion of the International Social Justice Day in the capital city on Saturday, they argued that the Dalits should be provided equal educational and economic opportunities so as to uplift them.

The speakers at the programme also underscored the increment of access to justice for the Dalit people.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Sudeep Pathak commented that the rising cases of discrimination and disparity against the Dalits were in lack of effective implementation of the Prevention of Caste based Discrimination and Untouchability Act, 2068.

Similarly, Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Tek Prasad Dhungana shared that a law in compliance of the Article 40 of the new constitution was in offing to further secure the rights of the Dalits.

Furthermore, Secretary Dhungana said formulation of Act on National Dalit Commission and provisions on Dalit Scholarships would be finalized by mid-April.

Likewise, National Women Commission member Manu Humagain pointed out the need for launching a nation-wide awareness campaign and enacting acts and laws formulated to end the caste-based discrimination and untouchability.

Also speaking at the programme, member secretary of the National Dalit Commission Sitaram Ghale Pariyar argued that the State should undertake the implementation of Acts on elimination of caste-based discrimination and prejudices.

Dr Sundarmani Dixit, leader of civic movement, stated that discriminating people on the basis of caste in such an advanced times was the culmination of crime.

Echoing with civic movement leader Dixit, other Dalit civic society leaders as Dr Yam Bahadur Kisan, Bhakta Bishwakarma and Dr Buddhi Nepali among others underlined the effective implementation of various acts and laws formulated to end caste-based discrimination.

Moreover, they bemoaned that despite of the acts on caste-based discrimination put in place in the country, not a single person violating the Act were brought to book. RSS