Dalit’s Awakening
Discriminatory Practices Should End

By Mukti Rijal

IN A conversation with chair-persons of village development committees of some districts in the Tarai. The scribe was told about the nature and pattern of social disputes in the rural communities. Though the nature of disputes differed from contexts to contexts some VDC chairpersons informed that cases relating to caste-based discriminations have become rather frequent. The complaints originate from those who are prohibited entry into public places especially the temples and also from those who find it difficult to stomach the idea of allowing Dalits inside the temples. In many temples in rural communities rituals, worships and sacrifices could not be executed during Dashain because of the fact that the upper caste people showed no interests to Professor the rite together with the Dalits. The untouchables enthused and emboldened by the government announcement to eliminate caste-based discriminations at the societal level reportedly attempted to dictate terms in face of the opposition presented by the upper caste people. This led to a situation of animosity and misunderstanding in some rural pockets especially in the western part of Nepal.

The plight of untouchables did figure prominently in the UN conference on racism held in the South African city of Durban too. The Nepalese Dalit NGO representatives took part in the conference and the Dalit representatives from India mooted the case of the untouchables spiritedly in the conferences. Caste-based discrimination has been equated with apartheid and racism despite the fact that it is not the inhuman practice based on race and colour.

Legally, the caste based discrimination was abolished during the Sixties in Nepal but it still exists in moderate to extreme forms. In the far western hills of Nepal, discriminations are well entrenched and those facing caste-based discriminations have born the burnt of poverty, illiteracy and social marginalisation. The situation is not as bad in the central and eastern hills of Nepal. The story of Tarai is different from the hills. The Dalits in Tarai are much more oppressed than in the hills.

An event that took place in India should prick the conscience of those applying discriminatory and oppressive social and cultural practices. Nearly fifty thousand Dalits from all over India converted themselves into Buddhism. Dalits assembled in the capital city of Delhi recently vowed, not to recognise anything Hindu be it priests, gods, and rituals. It was a repeatation of the event enacted under the leadership of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar some twenty five years ago in India when half a million Dalits embraced Buddism in Nagpur.

In Nepal Dalits comprise about twelve per cent of the total population spread across the country. They are economically backward, socially depressed and educationally disadvantaged, though following the restoration of multiparty democracy in the country in 1990, there have been some measures taken to provide social uplift to the Dalit community. The Local Self Governance Act 1998 provides for representation of the disadvantaged groups in local bodies including village development committees municipalities and district development committees. Dalits are more educated and more conscious than in the past. They are socially organised and getting more space to articulate their grievances and demand for their redressal. However, effective affirmative actions and measures should be programmed and implemented in order to ensure that they are treated with dignity and have positive access to social opportunities.

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 guarantees right to equality and it prohibits discriminations on the basis of caste, creed, religion, race and political faith. This constitutional provision needs to be translated into deeds so that justice reaches to all segments of the society. Social discriminations and alienation are the source of conflicts and unrest. These can vitiate harmony and tolerance. The discriminations meted out to Dalits should not therefore be permitted to go on. Let me quota Mahatma Gandhi who paid rich tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-one of the architects of the Indian Constitution-in this context. Mahatma Gandhi is on record to have said in 1931 "I have the highest regard for Dr. Ambedkar. He has every right to be bitter. That he does not break our heads is an act of self restraint on his part."

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