Kathmandu, July 15:

Dalit activists today said that they should go for strong and violent protest programmes, saying that the government has not yet respond to their peaceful protests.

“We have been raising our voice peacefully but to no avail. Now, we feel that we should begin a stern and violent movement since the government does not respond to our peaceful protests,” said Durga Sob, president of the Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO), adding: “Otherwise, the state is not going to fulfill our demands.”

Addressing an interaction programme on “Dalit Issues in the Constituent Assembly

and Restructuring of the State” organised by the Joint Dalit Struggle Committee (JDSC), Sob said that all the Dalit organisations should unite at this crucial juncture.

“Rise above party’s interests and unite to fight for our own Dalit interests,” she suggested, adding that struggle should begin simultaneously from parliament, parties and the streets.

Lal Bahadur Biswokarma, president of the Nepal Utpidit Jatiye Mukti Samaj, said the JDSC would soon begin a movement at the local level. “The committee would come up with phase-wise protest programmes very soon,” he said. Chitra Bahadur KC, president of the Rastriya Janamorcha, stressed on the need to abolish the roots of feudalism in order to end all forms of existing discriminations against the Dalits.