KATHMANDU, March 21: The incident of the demolition of a Dalit family's house for conducting a Mahayagya in Aurahi Rural Municipality-5 of Siraha has been raised in the National Assembly.
During Friday's session, lawmakers who spoke during the zero hour condemned the incident, calling it a prime example of caste discrimination and untouchability. They demanded a thorough investigation and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
In connection with the incident, lawmakers have demanded action against the rural municipality chairman Shivaji Yadav and Bajrangi Baba, who is said to be the organizer of the Mahayagya. CPN (Unified Socialist) MP Goma Devi Timilsina called for action to be taken against the rural municipality chairman, who led the discriminatory incident.
Upper House lawmakers draw government's attention
She said, “Under the guise of organizing a Mahayagya in Siraha, a house built under the Janata Awas for Dalits has been demolished by the municipality's bulldozer, under the leadership of the rural municipality chairman, just because they were Dalits. The government should take everyone, including the chairman, under control and take action.”
Similarly, CPN (Unified Socialist) lawmaker Jayanti Devi Rai demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and called for the perpetrators to be punished. She said, “In the name of Bishnu Mahayagya, the rural municipality chairman has demolished a Dalit's house. The government should immediately investigate this incident.”
National Assembly member Tul Prasad Bishwakarma from the Rastriya Janamorcha also condemned the incident, calling it deplorable. He emphasized that it is essential for everyone to unite in the fight to end the caste-based discrimination that exists in society.
Meanwhile, the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Siraha, Basudev Dahal, has been recalled to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
On Friday morning, the Home Ministry summoned Dahal and sent another CDO in his place. According to ministry sources, Bishwa Prakash Aryal, who was in Kapilvastu, has been assigned to Siraha.
According to ministry sources, Basudev Dahal was summoned to the Ministry of Home Affairs for his negligence in the incident where the house of Deepak Malik Dom, a Dalit of Aurahi Rural Municipality-5 in Siraha, was demolished.
A Mahayagya is scheduled to take place in the village starting from March 30. Since the house of the Dalit family was demolished in the same location where the Mahayagya is being held, there has been widespread opposition to this event.
