Doti incident sparks protests in Valley

Kathmandu, September 19:

The Joint Dalit Struggle Committee today organised a one-hour long chakka jam at Maitighar to protest against the thrashing of Dalits by non-Dalits for entering into the Shaileswori Temple.Hundreds of human right activists, Dalit activists, members of the civil society and media representatives were present at the protest programme that begun at 8:30 am.

The participants had disturbed the traffic at all four sides of the Maitighar Mandala.

They demanded immediate action against the culprits who left some 50 people injured at Doti.

Addressing a corner meeting held there, former speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) and human rights activist Daman Nath Dhungana demanded that the government form a high-level probe committee and punish the guilty who were involved in beating Dalits. He also suggested that Dalit activists should take the issue throughout the nation. Dhungana also said that the state should ensure that Declaration of the Parliament be implemented.

President of Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO), Durga Sob, said the movement would not end without reaching a conclusion.

“Our movement will not stop unless all the Dalits of the nation can step into the temples and ensure social justice to them.”

Around 80 Dalit activists organised a sit-in protest at the southern gate of Singha Durbar today from 10:30 am to 3 pm. Representative of civil society Dr Devendra Raj Pandey had reached there to express solidarity to the sit-in protest.

Meanwhile, the JDSC has said it would would organise a candle rally in front of the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar tomorrow morning and then submit a memorandum to the PM.