Dalit rights activists made this announcement at a press conference on Tuesday as part of the national campaign for Dalit-friendly elections.
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Dalit rights activists are planning to launch a 'no vote' campaign in the upcoming elections against any candidate or party that discriminates against caste.
Dalit rights activists made this announcement at a press conference on Tuesday as part of the Dalit-friendly election national campaign.
In a press conference organized by the Dalit Non-Governmental Organizations Federation (DNF), Dalit civic organizations, journalists, intellectuals, rights activists and Dalit activists informed that they have launched a Dalit-friendly election national campaign to make the upcoming elections Dalit-friendly.
DNF President JV Bishwakarma informed that suggestions have been handed over to all political parties on behalf of the campaign on the issue of Dalits to be included in the manifesto. He said that Dalits will be encouraged to vote and any political party or candidate who discriminates will be boycotted on humanitarian grounds.
'How can we vote for a person or party who has inhumane conduct that discriminates in society?', President Bishwakarma asked, 'We have started a campaign to launch a no-vote campaign against people with such bad habits and to select the right leadership.'
Nepal Voters' Rights Forum Chairman Bhakta Bishwakarma said that the campaign should reach out to Dalit and marginalized community voters as they need to be educated on who and how to vote at this time.
Rights activist Kamala Hemchuri said that the party or candidate who has raised the most issues of marginalized communities in the House of Representatives elections should be given priority. She said that it is necessary to convey the message that the Dalit community will be in favor of equality.
DNF Vice President Sushil BK said that the campaign has been in discussions with political parties and candidates for a long time to prioritize Dalit issues. He clarified that the campaign will continue against the practice of weakening the implementation of Dalit issues even when they are raised in the manifesto.
'Dalit communities have always been used only as vote banks, that is where the problem lies,' said Vice President BK, 'Now we will embark on a campaign to boycott those who discriminate and to win those who bring policies of social transformation.' The campaign's manifesto has emphasized that elections should be Dalit-friendly. Similarly, it has been mentioned that a minimum of 14 percent representation in both direct and proportional representation should be ensured in the elections, that Dalit issues should be included in the manifesto, and that the concept of 'Diversity, No Vote' should be adopted, focusing on discriminatory parties, leaders and candidates.
Similarly, it has been stated that every party and candidate should be given an environment to assimilate and implement the issues raised by the Dalit community and ensure that no person accused of discrimination should be nominated as a candidate, that the Dalit community should be given an environment to vote freely without any fear, intimidation or temptation, and that the election will be considered Dalit-friendly only if the manifesto is implemented after the elections.
The campaign has made it clear that the principle of proportional inclusion should be implemented in all organs of the state, that the implementation of Dalit rights as mentioned in the constitution should be emphasized, and that a national strategy should be prepared to end caste discrimination and untouchability in practice. Demands include providing adequate resources, amending the Untouchability Act to increase punishment, ending 'digital discrimination' and inequality, and drafting an Integrated Dalit Development Act.
