Dalits, Badis continue protest; over 50 arrested

Police have arrested more than 50 Dalit rights activists and women from Badi community on Monday for forcibly trying to enter the restricted zone in Singha Durbar area with the intention to organise protest.

Police resorted to baton-charging while trying to prevent the protesters of Dalit Civil Society Movement and Badi Community Struggle Committee from staging demonstration at the Southern gate of Singha Durbar. More than 12 Dalit and Badi activists were also injured while four fell unconscious during the scuffle with police, Nepalnews reporter at the scene said. They were staging protest jointly.

Dalit Civil Society Movement’s Binod Pahadi and coordinator of Badi Community Struggle Committee Uma Devi Badi were among those arrested. They have all been kept at the Armed Police Force (AFP) no.2 batallion in Maharajgunj.

The two groups have been organising various protest programmes in the capital city and various other districts from a long time by putting forward demands, which includes ensuring 20 percent seats for the Dalit community in the Constituent Assembly election and proper rehabilitation for the Badi community. They have said they will continue with their protest programmes until all their demands are met.

Last week also, women from Badi community, a small Dalit community inhabiting some mid-western and far-western districts, had staged demonstration in front of Singha Durbar. In the course of demonstrating some women had stripped their clothes and staged demonstrations in a semi nude manner as a sign of government apathy towards the travails of the community that traditionally depends on prostitution for livelihood. nepalnews.com ag Aug 27 07

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