Dalits deprived of fundamental rights

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 28 - About two million children belonging to the downtrodden community (Dalits) are deprived of education and many fundamental human rights, said social activists today.

"Government is yet to fulfil its promise of free education up to class 10 to all children," said Bijaya Sainju President of CONCERN at a programme."How can we expect much from this type of government when it comes to Dalit children ?"

UN Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC), Clause 2 states  children should not be discriminated on the basis of religion, culture, gender, race and the like.

Despite this clear provision, there has been gross violation of child rights in our country. As a result, hundreds of thousands of children are compelled to bear the brunt of social, economical and political oppression, according to a book released by CONCERN Nepal. The newly released book Child Rights and Dalit Children is written in Nepali. It dwells on historical background of Dalits, present status of their children,discrimination made against them and a host of other related issues.

Census Report,1990 states that 12.3 percent of the total population are Dalits.

On the contrary, the book provides statistics that shows  there are about four to five million Dalits and stresses on the need to correct and update the official numbers of the oppressed castes. Out of this, 50 percent are Dalit children.

Alcohol ban likely in Pashupati area

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 28 - Chief District Officer Tulsi Bhattarai said after local commitment was ensured and rules made, he would promptly stop selling of meat and alcohol in the Pashupatinath area.

He was speaking at an interaction programme organised to stop the selling of meat and alcohol in the holy Pashupati area.

Social worker Subarna Vaidya said  though selling of meat and alcohol was prohibited in the area long ago, the police force has not checked such activities yet.

Similarly, local Gopal Subedi accused that the Pashupati Area Development Trust has been passive to checking illegal activities being practised around the holy area.

Ramesh Upreti from the Trust said local people should vow to abandon meat and alcohol first, only then maintenance of law and order would be possible.

Chairman of Bagmati Area Sewerage Construction/Rehabilitation Project Bidur Paudel suggested a door-to-door campaign against such "sinful" activities around the holy region and  asked help of the police  to take action against such illegal activities.

of the beat

Which is stranger?

Guess what? The Mayor of Lalitpur says he has a secret dumping site and that's the secret behind the fact that Lalitpur happens to be cleaner than Kathmandu.

I wonder which is stranger, the fact that Lalitpur has a dumping site or the ability of the Mayor to hide an entire dumping site. (JBR) 

Different tune

It's surprising how politicians can change their statements overnight. Just the other day, Info minister JP Gupta had said that Deuba had failed. The very next day he said Deuba had been given full authority.

How was it that he was singing a different tune ? Perhaps, the Hanuman was chastized by big boss Girija.(SR) 

Of mushrooms and ...

With so many 10+2 institutions and colleges clamouring for attention, confusion is bound to reign supreme in the minds of hapless students  who are (mis)informed that each institution is a notch or two above the rest. Newspaper, radio and television ads or banners hung from pole to pole across streets - these mushrooms are everywhere and no other similar comparison comes to mind except the image of frogs croaking. After all, this is the rainy season.  (DKJ)         

Carry on Koirala

Heard that the so-called social worker Anuradha Koirala has beaten up some of her co-workers. Guess why ? Every Koirala thinks that it is his or her birth-right, after all they have served for years. Carry on Koirala, the days are yours.     (PB)

Somersault

It was an impromptu meet of Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party. All issues confronting the nation were discussed, and reportedly the meet had nothing to do with intra-party squabbling. A surprising development, if true, GP and KP both spoke, albeit briefly. KP blasted the government for its immobility and for kow-towing to the opposition in the name of seeking consensus. However, after the meet, KP sang a different tune. He said he was very pleased with the government's performance, that he had no complaint at all. Example of party loyalty or chameleonosis ?      (ET)

Name game

Watching Day TV's Kinmel Show had me in a fix the other day. The programme anchor was interviewing shoppers. I don't know why but it must be because of a camera in front, every word they uttered about the shops were sweet and nice. The anchor also concluded you can really find nice goods at reasonable price, but in her haste or what it was, can't tell, she forgot to give the name of the shop.I expected a question would crop up at the end, but it wasn't to be. That's Day TV for you. (Ash)

Nightingale who?

An advertisement by Everest Hotel, frequently seen on newspaper these days, projects a virtually unknown singer as the nightingale of Nepal, oops, if she's been officially conferred the title, please excuse my GK. The only nightingale of Nepal as far as my GK tells me is dear Koyali Devi herself. I wonder since when the nightingales have become such a common species, especially in Nepali music ?   (AP)

For Muslims' sake

A Muslim community association invited half a dozen leaders so that they could at least give some dry words to soothe those who were attacked by the RAW report called Gameplan. But, many of them turned their back and other arrived one whole hour late.

Bichara Muslims did not know the patriot learders actually had no guts to speak a single word against Indian Imperialism.  (RM)

Mystery behind SLC failures

Voices have been heard regarding the dismal pass percentage in SLC examination and inefficiency of CIAA simultaneously. Who says that CIAA is idle? A professor disclosed mystery behind the high failure. The reason : CIAA had checked the SLC answer papers. Now, similar fate awaits campus level examinees.   (Tilku)