Incident Reports

Dalit lawmakers press for their rights in statute

2015-06-22

Bagmati, Kathmandu, Kathmandu

Dalit lawmakers from all political parties have come together to press Constituent Assembly (CA) for ensuring the rights of the Dalit community in the new constitution. Submitting a memorandum to CA Chairman Subas Nembang at Singhadurbar on Monday, various 40 lawmakers representing all political parties in the CA stressed that the new constitution should include all the Dalit rights that were agreed by the first CA and subsequently owned up by the second CA. "It came to our knowledge that the draft of the new constitution does not include all the commitments made by the first CA. It is objectionable," said Man Bahadur BK, submitting the memorandum. Dalit lawmakers have demanded that the preamble of the new constitution should include an apology statement for long-standing cast discrimination in the country and also ensure proportional representation of Dalits in central, provincial assemblies as well local levels by three, five, and ten percentages, respectively. Similarly, they have sought representation from the Dalit community while appointing members to the central and provincial government, office bearers to constitutional bodies, and members at the national assembly. Dalits lawmakers have also demanded not to disperse the Dalit community while delineating new provinces after the promulgation of the new constitution.

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