KATHMANDU: Speaker Subas Nembang directed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam to respond to the Parliament about the use of force on lawmakers and Dalit rights activists on Wednesday's meeting of the Legislature-Parliament.

Lawmakers have urged DPM Gautam to offer apology in the House, to arrange free treatment to the injured and to take action against police officials who were involved in using force against the lawmakers and the Dalit rights activists.

Parliamentarians decry use of police force against Dalit leaders

KATHMANDU: Members of the Parliament expressed their concern over the use of police force during a nationwide peaceful demonstrations carried out by the Joint Dalit Struggle Committee in the Capital today.

Seeking time from the Speaker in today's meeting of the Legislature-Parliament, UCPN-Maoist lawmaker Agni Prasad Sapkota demanded the Home Minister apologise for the police intervention in the peaceful protests and action against those police officers involved in the intervention.

Karna Bahadur BK of the same party said that delivering the constitution draft against the decisions of the previous Constituent Assembly and past agreements has made the Dalits disappointed, forcing them to go for agitation for their rights.

A total of 36 people including parliamentarians including Man Bahadur BK, Daljit Shreepali and Jitu Gautam were injured in police action. The Committee has been demanding three percent Dalits' participation in the federal state level (center) and five percent in provinces since the constitution draft was made public. The Committee said that the draft was not Dalit-friendly.

Deepak Giri of Nepali Congress demanded a probe into the assault on Dalit leaders in course of peaceful demonstrations. Giri objected to the performance of lawmakers of the CPN-UML, the government coalition partner, in the Parliament on Monday, terming it against the democratic norms and values.

Congress lawmakers Min Bahadur BK and Sujata Pariyar said the police resorted to baton charge on the peaceful demonstration, leaving the parliamentarians injured and the Home Minister should take responsibility. They demanded action against the police officers involved in the force and free treatment of the injured.

Congress lawmaker Khadga Bahadur Basyal said the peaceful agitation was for ensuring the political rights of the Dalits.

Lawmaker of the CPN-UML Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal objected over the police suppression on lawmakers in the nation-wide demonstration called by the Integrated Dalit Struggle Committee, saying it was condemnable.

Objecting over the attack on Dalit leaders by the government, Dhakal expressed the view that the Home Ministry should aplologise for this.

Similarly, another lawmaker of the CPN-UML, Jit Bahadur Darjee Gautam said that they were compelled to take to the street after the top leaders of major political parties did not address their demands even after their frequent request.

Likewise, lawmaker of the same party, Ophilal Okhade demanded action against those involved in suppression and ordering the same.

Aiendra Sundar Nembang of the CPN-ML objected to the police suppression saying the suppression on the peaceful agitation organised by Dalit leaders was against the constitutional rights.

He said that Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam should furnish an explanation regarding this.

Prem Suwal of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Chitra Bahadur KC of Rastriya Janamorcha Party, Shivalal Thapa of the Rastriya Janamukti Party-Democratic and Lal Bahadur Raut of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, among others condemned the police suppression.