Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 24:

Leaders of the Dalit liberation movement vehemently criticised the lack in progress and achievements of the National Dalit Commission (NDC) today.

'The NDC officials are busier for personal benefit than making policiy to safeguard the entire Dalit community. This tendency is injurious to the entire community,' said the editor of Nepali Manch, Binod Pahadi, while presenting a paper on NDC.

He said the commission was a total failure in terms of breaking the chains of unouchability and inhuman racial discrimination and shattering suppression suffered by the Dalits. 'Instead of fighting the Hindu fundamentalism, the NDC is spending its money supporting the Bishwa Hindu Manasangh,' he added.

He also said the commission failed to protect the rights of Ram Bahadur BK, Danalal Chaudhari, Manisha Darji and many other victims of discrimination. While it cashed Rs 56,000 for Munadevi, it gave her a mere Rs 2,500.

Pahadi also said the commission had earned illegal money by providing admission to a non-Dalit Sandip Verma for MBBS. The seat was reserved for a Dalit student. Pahadi said the NDC officials committed 'daylight robbery' regarding the money allocated by the government for uplift of Dalits.

The former chairman of NDC Padam Singh Bishwakarma, hoped the new panel will carry on the work in a better way.