Madhesi Dalit upliftment draws attention in parliament

KATHMANDU: In today’s session of the House of Representatives, Abdul Khan, a Member of Parliament from Janamat Party, raised concerns about the plight of the Dalit community in the Terai region, urging the government to focus on their upliftment.

Khan highlighted the educational, economic, and health challenges faced by the Madhesi Dalit community, noting that they remain socially excluded.

He emphasized the need for government attention to the Dom and Musahar communities, who are still subjected to discrimination and lack opportunities.

“Madhesi Dalit communities have an adult literacy rate of only 23.1%. They are still excluded from education, employment, health, and opportunities,” Khan stated. “When citizens are deprived of basic human rights, it questions the very essence of democracy.”

During the special time, Prem Suwal, a Member of Parliament from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, called for strict measures to retrieve funds from defunct cooperatives. He urged the government to freeze the assets of cooperative officials involved and confiscate their passports.

Suwal stressed the need for the government to focus on economic development, questioning, “How can we talk about democracy without working on economic development?”

Ram Prakash Chaudhary, a Member of the Democratic Socialist Party Nepal, suggested the government seriously reconsider granting lifetime benefits to former high-ranking officials, fearing that it could lead to increased privileges for political representatives. Chaudhary also brought attention to the health conditions of nearly 18,000 sick prisoners, urging the government to prioritize their medical care.

Additionally, he recommended revisiting the policy of pardoning prisoners during festivals to ease the financial burden on the state.

Prabhu Sah, a Member of Parliament from the Aam Janata Party, called for reforms in Nepal Airlines to make it more competitive. He pointed out the mismanagement within the airline, highlighting the need for improvements in management and operations. “Five aircrafts are grounded. Either they should be put to use or managed properly. What message is the government trying to send by increasing costs like this?” he questioned.

Yogendra Mandal, another Member of Parliament, urged the government to address the issue at the head of the Chatra Canal, which affects irrigation for over 68,000 hectares of agricultural land. Currently, the canal only covers 8,000 hectares, leaving farmers in distress.

Rama Koirala Poudyal, a Member of the Nepali Congress, stressed the need for the upcoming budget to focus on advancing the informal economy. She also emphasized the importance of implementing labor laws and regulating the Social Security Fund based on contributions. Koirala Poudyal also urged the government to address the issues faced by migrant workers.

These discussions in the parliament highlighted several pressing issues in Nepal, from Dalit community upliftment to the need for economic reforms and better management of national resources.