Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 8

Activists and experts called on the government to give priority to economically deprived Dalits while drafting and implementing reservation or quota policy to avoid discrimination within the suppressed community.

"Otherwise, a certain fraction of powerful Dalits could misuse the reservations resulting in Brahminism within the suppressed community," said Dalit activist Padma Sundas at a programme organised by Jagaran Media here today. The state should provide reservations to Dalits until "they are on par with the ruling communities" instead of stipulating a certain time-frame, he said.

He emphasised that the state should announce reservations to Dalits in education, employment and land while calling on the government to include representatives of the suppressed communities while drafting the policy. Until now, upper caste people and only those with power have been able to use reservation policy for their benefit, he added.

Dr Harka Bahadur Gurung said that Nepal should follow the footsteps of India and introduce

proportionate reservation schemes for suppressed and backward communities based on their population.

Similarly, experts called on the government to announce reservation policy on food arguing that hungry children do not go to schools even if they are granted scholarship. "The government must ensure that Dalits do not face hunger if it wants its reservation policy to succeed," said columnist Hari Rokka.

The state must focus on food, health and education while formulating the much talked reservation policy for Dalits, he said. "When the state should have been providing employment opportunities to the suppressed communities, it is busy selling its rivers and industries to foreign parties", said Rokka. "The locals including the suppressed and backward communities should have a share on rivers and hydro-electricity," he pointed out.

Although reservation schemes for backward and suppressed communities are much talked about, its framework is yet to be announced, he said.

He also raised questions whether reservation schemes without competition could bring desired results.

On a negligible representation of ethnic and suppressed communities in political parties, Rokka said "they are a mere show piece in the political parties who have already been Brahminised."

"Can Brahminised political leaders emancipate the suppressed communities from suppression and discrimination?, he questioned.