Dalits take out lantern rally to press for their rights

KATHMANDU: Leaders of the Dalit community on Saturday took out a lantern rally to press political parties for securing their rights in the new constitution.

The rally started from Maitighar Mandala converged into a corner meeting at New Baneshwor in front of the Constituent Assembly (CA) building.

On the occasion, Dalit leader and Constituent Assembly (CA) member Bishwendra Paswan said the non-Dalit leadership had systematically chipped away at the achievements gained by the Dalit community in the first CA by not incorporating their rights in the draft constitution.

The Dalit community, which has remained in the back burner for long, has called for three per cent reservation in the federal Legislature, five per cent in the provinces and 10 per cent in the local bodies. They have further demanded the stipulation of some constituencies where only Dalit contenders will run for elections.

The Dalit community which makes up 13 per cent of the total population has 40 members in the CA.

The Struggle Committee has also called for Dalit community's participation in all state agencies based on population.