“We have decided to induct one dalit member in the commission as there was no representation from the dalit community,” Dr Ram Sharan Mahat of the Nepali Congress (NC) told Republica. [break]
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, among others, were present at the meeting.
Asked if the leaders were for appointing a dalit candidate as head of the commission, Mahat said the possibility couldn´t be ruled out as the position remains vacant so far.
At the parliament meeting earlier in the day, lawmakers fiercely criticized the top leaders for not inducting any dalit member in the commission.
Lawmakers from the major political parties representing dalit communities demanded to immediately appoint a dalit member. “Otherwise, we will be compelled to obstruct parliament proceedings,” said UCPN (Maoist) lawmaker Tilak Pariyar.
Khadga Bahadur Basyal Sarki of NC threatened to protest if the top leaders neglect the dalit community.
Similarly, Chhabilal Bishwakarma of CPN-UML said, “We had urged the prime minister not to deprive the dalit community from representation in the SRC but he turned a deaf ear to our suggestion.”
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