Kathmandu, December 19:

Nepali Congress and some Dalit-affiliated organisations today condemned the police action against the dalit students yesterday. The dalit students were protesting on the government’s decision to reduce the reservation of seats for scholarship programmes allocated to the dalit students.

Around 12 students were hurt when the police charged them with lathis during the protest staged by the Joint Dalit Students’ Struggle Committee in New Baneshwor. They were protesting the government’s decision to reduce the reservation for Dalit MBBS students from 15 per cent to 9 per cent . A cabinet meeting two weeks ago had made such a decision. Nepali Congress, Dalit NGO Federation and Forum for Dalit Constituent Assembly Members today condemned the police action against the protesting students and urged the government to fulfil their viable demands.