Dalit students to hold convention in April

Kathmandu, February 8:

The ninth plenum of Nepal Independent Dalit Students’ Organisation has decided to organise its third national conference on April 1 and 2 in Kathmandu.

The plenum held here recently has decided to centralise its movement to achieve republican set up in the kingdom through an ‘unconditional’ constituent assembly as the Dalit students have come to a conclusion that the autocratic monarchy is the only obstacle for achieving the goals of all movements including that of caste-based discrimination, land rights, reservations and proportionate representation among others.

“The organisation would begin movement for the unconditional constituent assembly and restructure the state with a guarantee of Dalit rights and liberation,” said a press release issued by its president Bal Krishna Achhami.

The meeting decided to oust eight central members, including general secretary Jeevan Jyoti Biswokarma and vice-president Ganga Prasad Mahara.

Other members expelled from the central committee are Ratna Bahadur BK, Milan Gahatraj, Padam Biswokarma ‘Nirmohi’ of Ramechhap, Pancha Kumari Pariyar, Shiva Pariyar and Chakra Bahadur Biswokarma. The meeting formed a 25-member convention organising committee under the leadership of its president Bal Krishna Achhami.

Padam Biswokarma ‘Lekali’, who is a member of the organising committee, said central committee was forced to expel the eight members because they remained totally inactive. “The organisation could not achieve expected outcome due to their total negligence,” he commented. He said the Dalit students’ body has decided to actively participate in the movements being organised by the eight student unions and complete all the district conventions by March 28.