Students allege ‘royal agent’ stole documents

Kathmandu, April 5:

Important documents have been stolen from the National Dalit Commission (NDC), the chief of a Dalit students’ organisation said today.

Protesting the government decision to appoint a ‘royal agent’, Bhagwat Biswasi, as the NDC chief, Dalit students locked the NDC a month ago.

“Employees of the NDC informed us this morning that one of the main doors was open and documents were all scattered,” said Lokesh Biswokarma, president of the Nepal Independent Dalit Students’ Organisation (NIDSO).

The NIDSO accused Bhagwat Biswasi of stealing secret documents. It called for a probe into the incident and action against the guilty. The NIDSO also urged the government to turn the NDC into an autonomous commission. “The papers were spread all over the chamber of undersecretary Laxmi Sharan Ghimire. Some documents may have been lost. The looters must have entered the room through a window,” said Ram Nepali, vice-president of the NIDSO. He said the looters vandalised two doors, including the door of the president’s chamber, and a bathroom.

However, Ghimire said four doors were broken and the looters entered into the room from the kitchen. “We are trying to keep remaining materials secure,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nepal Dalit Association members locked up the Dalit Bikas Samiti yesterday to protest its decision to oust over half-a-dozen lower-rung employees, including Mira Nepali, Ram Sundar Mahara, Bimala Nepali, Indira Khati, Hem Raj Bhatta, Rabindra Shrestha and Manju Ale. A group opened the lock three hours later.