Kathmandu, March 18:

Khadgi, a caste within the Newar community, has been taken out of the list of Dalits from the proposed draft of an ordinance to form the National Dalit Rights Commission, following objections from the Nepal Khadgi Sewa Samiti (NKSS). This is the second time Khadgis were put on the list of Dalits and they fought against their listing as Dalits.

“We had to exert a lot of pressure on the National Dalit Commission (NDC) and the government to delete our caste from the list of Dalits for the first time in 2059 BS,” said Manoj Newa Khadgi, president of the Samiti. However, a committee formed to draft an ordinance to form the National Dalit Rights Commission 2064 BS tried to include Khadgis on the list of Dalits again.

“For the second time, we put pressure on the NDC to remove Khadgis from the list,” Khadgi said, adding that the NDC officials repeatedly include other groups on the list just to show their population high and enjoy the benefits and funds meant for Dalits.

Khadgi said conflict and dissatisfaction among the members of the Samiti would be resolved through internal discussions. He also claimed that the community had to face several problems after they were enlisted as Dalits.

Meanwhile, sending a letter to the NKSS, the NDC said it has removed Khadgis from the list

of Dalits.