We still have a long way to go to end all forms of discrimination because of the cultural mindset

It has been 59 years since late king Mahendra declared the abolition of caste-based untouchability to empower the Dalit community thought amendments in the Muluki Ain, or Civil Code, in 1963. Although much has changed over the last 6 decades, the Dalits in the hills and Tarai region still face discrimination from the so-called upper caste people, especially at the cultural and religious level. Discrimination against the Dalits in the rural areas is overtly visible while it is subtle in the urban centres. Refusing to rent a room or apartment to Dalits, even for Dalit lawmakers, under one or the other pretext, is commonplace in the Kathmandu Valley while the so-called upper caste people in the Tarai region still do not let the Dalits fill their water vessels from public taps or enter temples, a cultural discrimination that sometimes leads to social tension. Ostracisation of a couple from society for getting married between a Dalit and non-Dalit and allegation of practising witchcraft are the most common evils seen despite the fact that the law has outlawed them. Such kinds of discrimination against the Dalits are still widespread in Madhes and Mid- and Far-Western parts of the country. The killings of 47 Dalits in a span of 16 years are a gruesome reminder of how the Dalits are mistreated in society.

Following the abolition of untouchability some six decades ago, Nepal was once again declared a caste-discrimination-free society in June 2006, defining any kind of caste-based discrimination illegal with provisions of punitive action and a fine. But a report of the National Human Rights Commission said six Dalit youths were killed in Rukum, the heartland of the Maoist insurgency, two years ago as a result of discrimination against the Dalits. The major problems the Dalits still face in society are that they are not welcomed to religious and cultural feasts and festivals. Some Dalit families have also been found to have changed their family names to avoid caste-based social discrimination.

However, with the adoption of the new constitution, things have slowly changed for the better as laws have been amended to empower the Dalits in politics and education while employment opportunities have been provided in government jobs. Apart from reservation in higher education and government employment, compulsory Dalit representation in the National Assembly, ward and municipality councils are the positive interventions taken by the State that has had positive impact on the society.

While addressing a function marking the 17th National Day for the Elimination of Caste-based Discrimination the other day, PM Sher Bahadur Deuba rightly stressed the need to build a civilised society by ending all forms of discrimination and implementing the laws effectively. At the same time, the National Dalit Commission can play a big role in raising voices against all forms of discrimination against the Dalits. All the political parties have a bigger role to play in the society to bring an end to caste-based discrimination.

Still, we have a long way to go to end all forms of caste-based discrimination because of its deep-rooted cultural mindset, although the positive interventions from the State have helped the Dalits become empowered over the last six decades.


Signs of recovery

Nepal's tourism industry is showing signs of recovery as is evident from the presence of large numbers of foreign visitors at key tourist destinations and places. As per the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 190,739 tourists visited the country in the first five months of this year. A little more than 53,000 visitors came to Nepal last month, which is definitely a big recovery when compared to the dismal 1,468 foreigners seen in May last year. But with the start of the rainy season, the number of visitors is likely to dip until the start of the autumn season in September.

Of the total number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal in May, 57 per cent were from the SAARC region, with India accounting for the lion's share, or 26,662 Indians. The unbearable heat experienced in the sub-continent makes Nepal an attractive destination.

The Chinese also made up a sizeable proportion of tourists before the pandemic, but a strict lockdown in China's major cities brought only 388 visitors in May. As the coronavirus pandemic wanes, Nepal can expect many more tourists during the autumn season. But we must see to it that Nepal does not disappoint visitors, especially with the piles of garbage at every street corner.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 6, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.