Lantern rally for Dalit rights

KATHMANDU, August 1

Dalit Rights Struggle Committee (DRSC) on Saturday organised a lantern rally to protest against the draft constitution and create pressure on political parties to ensure their rights in the new constitution.

The rally that started from Maitighar Mandala converged into a gathering at New Baneswor in front of the Constituent Assembly (CA) building where leaders lashed out at the draft constitution.

Dalit leaders including CA member Biswendra Paswan, central member of Nepal National Dalit Liberation Front Khim Bahadur Biswokarma ,among others, criticised the leaders for cutting out all the rights of the Dalits. They have also demanded secularism in the country besides their proper representation and warned that they wouldn’t accept the new statute if the draft constitution was not amended.

Binod Pahadi of DRSC said the Committee demanded at least three per cent reservation in the federal parliament, five per cent in the provinces, 10 per cent in local bodies, and proportional representation of Dalits.