Nepal Communist Party leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam has proposed introducing a legal provision for lifetime imprisonment for anyone who uses the term “Dalit.”
Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Development, Economic Affairs, and Good Governance Committee held in Singha Durbar on Monday, Gautam argued that including the word “Dalit” in the constitution was a sinful act. He demanded that a law be formulated to confiscate the property of those who demean members of the community and provide compensation to the affected individuals.
Gautam stated, “Using the term ‘Dalit’ is an act of cruelty and inhumanity. But we have given it legal and constitutional recognition. This must be amended. A law should be made so that even if someone uses the term or behaves in a discriminatory way, they should be sentenced to life imprisonment. Their property should be confiscated and given as compensation to the person who was discriminated against. That way, justice can be ensured. Let’s do that once—can we? If we cannot, then such discussions should not continue. This is a criminal and sinful act. We should not keep constitutionally recognizing a section of our population as ‘Dalit.’”
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