KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The country is engrossed in preparation for the House of Representatives (HoR) election scheduled for March 5. Most of the political parties participating in the election have made their election manifestos public. A total of 68 political parties are in the fray.
With the country all set to hold the election, almost all political parties have included the Dalit issues in their manifestos. The major political parties- Nepali Congress (NC), CPN UML, Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)- have repeated the slogans of 'dalit representation' and 'end of untouchability'. These sound great, but they are repeated ones.
These issues are lifted as they were from the previous manifestos. In its 'resolution paper', the oldest and largest democratic party, NC, mentioned, "Dalit people will have representation in and access to the party and in each state mechanism along with social justice." It was what the party wrote in its previous manifesto in 2079BS.
To sheer mockery to the election manifesto, the NC had only five Dalit leaders in the dissolved HoR. Worryingly, no Dalit leader was allowed to be a minister either. Elimination of untouchability was the issue that got space in the manifestos in the previous elections of 2064BS and 2070BS.
Election Manifestos and Reformation of Government and Electoral...
While the verbal commitment of the party on Dalit rights stated such, the nation did not cease recording inhuman cases of Dalit right violations. Since the enactment of Caste Discrimination and Untouchability (Crime and Punishment) Act, 2068 BS, the 17 Dalit persons were killed for using the drinking water that the so-called upper caste consumed and for doing inter-caste marriage. This data was maintained by the Samata Foundation, an organization working in the sector of Dalit rights, including research and publication.
The apathy of the state and the political actors alike have forced Dalits' displacement and exclusion.
Dalit rights campaigner, Pampha Pariyar, said, "It is contradictory to see repetition of Dalit rights in party's manifestos but utter lack of action."
Similarly, UML's election manifesto stated that Dalits would be protected, their rights to dignified life ensured and caste discrimination and untouchability ended with promotion of social justice. These were finely mentioned by its previous election manifestos.
Against the written pledges, the UML limited Dalit members' entry to a single seat in the last HoR. It failed to ensure Cabinet ministry to Dalit leader of its party.
The last Cabinet representation from the party was no different for the NCP either, for it too practiced contradictory behaviour.
Although the RSP was able to ensure two Dalit leaders onboard in parliament, it obstructed their entry to Cabinet. Its commitment in the contract paper for election is no less resonant than others' for Dalit rights.
RPP is another in the similar footing to show conflicting practice for Dalit empowerment and representation.
It is worth noting that there are six Dalit leaders in the National Assembly at present, while 16 in the dissolved HoR, 30 in province assemblies combined, 2.11 percent in civil service, one percent in judiciary and foreign relations service each. Such representation is 4 -9 percent in political parties.
However, the Dalit people make up 13.4 percent of country's total population. Still, 42 percent of Dalit people are below poverty line. Don't these fact expose the gross contradiction of parties and in polices on Dalit rights? It is now time to translate words into action. Are our parties ready for it?
Sushil Darnal/RSS
