Kathmandu, March 22

A commitment resolution proposal was discussed in the Upper House to ensure social justice by ending discrimination against the Dalit community.

"A commitment resolution related to discrimination and untouchability was discussed today at the National Assembly," Spokesperson of National Assembly Ekraj Giri told THT. He also said heavy weight commitments were discussed in the House to formulate policies for better social outcomes. "Nothing related to law or act has been forwarded or discussed," he added.

Meanwhile, National Assembly member Bhuwan Sunar, Suresh Ale, Gopi Achhami, Tulprasad Bishwakarma, Narpati Luhar, Jagat Bahadur Parki, Singh Bahadur Bishwakarma, among other MPs supported the commitment resolution.

According to the provisions of the constitution and law, untouchability and discrimination in private or public places are considered serious social crimes and strict action should be taken against the culprits and compensation should be provided to the victims. It was also demanded that derogatory names and surnames of the Dalit community in passports, citizenship certificates and government documents be corrected and that the person concerned be compensated for the physical and mental pain and loss of progress.

It was also demanded that proportional participation of the Dalit community be ensured in all agencies and structures of the state and scholarships be offered to students of the Dalit community with utmost priority for their higher education. Similarly, another demand was that land be provided to the landless, Dalit community and a system be implemented for providing housing to homeless Dalits. Presenting the resolution, National Assembly member Bhuwan Sunarsaid the NA should also direct the government to monitor whether or not the government has implemented the legal provisions to punish those who behave abusively with members of the Dalit community.

Likewise, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said discrimination and derogatory comments would fade away with accelerated development.

PM Dahal said this while replying to a question raised in the National Assembly on the commitment resolution proposal against caste discrimination, untouchability, rape, murder, suppression and exploitation.

PM Dahal said, "The more scientifically the development process progresses, the more superstitions and stereotypes will disappear.

We can solve this problem by making conscious efforts to amend the constitution and laws on behalf of the state. This problem can be solved if the country is uplifted by development and prosperity. I want to assure you that maximum efforts are being made by the state to solve the problem of untouchability.'' He said there was need to amend the law to make it practical. He also said attempting to solve the problem of untouchability only through legal means was difficult. He clarified that it was a matter of cultural movement.

PM Dahal further said, "Constant efforts are being made to solve this problem through the constitution, laws and conscious efforts. This problem can be solved through political will and debate." The meeting of the National Assembly unanimously approved the commitment resolution proposed by Member of Parliament Bhuwan Sunar in a bid to end the oppression of the Dalit community and ensure sociocultural, economic and political equality, prosperity and social justice. National Assembly Speaker Ganesh Prasad Timilsina instructed the government to implement the issues raised in the resolution.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 23, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.