Today the 28th of April 2009 an informal committee of CA members and RDN+DSDC formed to facilitate the interactions and dialogue between constituent assembly members of Dalit and pro-Dalit community and Dalit civil society groups. In the first meeting held 6 CA members Mr. Shanbhu Hajara Paswan (Chairman of Formation of government structure Committee) Nepali Congress, Mr. Hari Shreepaili Maoist, Mrs. Laxmi Pariyar, Nepali Congress, Mrs. Shantidevi Chamar UML, Mr. Puransingh Dayal UML and Mr. Biswendra Paswan, Dalit Janjati Party and Mr. Ganesh Bishwakarma from RDN and Mr. Hira Vishwakarma from DSDC were present. The meeting discussed extensively how the agenda of Dalits could be discussed and determined and fed into constitution making process. All the CA members present in the meeting shared their views and appreciated the effort of RDN+DSDC to bring in all and help create a forum for such interaction. They stated that though a Dalit CA members committee within CA has been formed and despite having code of conduct and other process already agreed it has not been functioning the way it should be. Now this type of initiative could create a venue to fulfil the gap.

All the members unanimously appreciated the role played by Mr. Biswendra Paswan in the CA advocating the Dalits rights and wished they could be like him. They said, due to different party lines and discipline they had to observe they could not support him openly, but they are always with him. They also requested Biswendraji to discuss the issues which he wanted to take to the CA for discussion prior to formal meeting so that they could generate support and build consensus within their party lines. While they have to follow the party lines Biswendraji is free to advocate in whatever way he wants, as he is all in all in the party. Being one of the party leaders out of 25 he gets more time and opportunity compared to other members. Laxmiji said, in the last one year period of CA she has hardly got opportunity to speak for three times for about 10 minutes in total, so it is not so easy for those coming from larger party. Replying to that comment, Biswendraji said there are 25 parties in CA and out of which 19 are very small and among 19 I am the most outspoken person.

Biswendra cautioned the members by giving the example of one incident during the process of Indian constitution making process, what had happened was in Maharastra, a committee was formed was very inclusive of that time, but three great leaders Neharu, Gandhi and Dr. Rajendra Prasad sat together and decided to take out the members from Dalit and other backward communities who were three in number. The person responsible was sent a message through Saradar Patel and he could not believe and accept the message thinking that all these great leaders are not tired of talking the welfare of the people like Harijans and other backward communities, after receiving the message for second time the person responsible could not believe and asked for a written message, and Gandhi wrote and passed on to him again he could not believe his eyes and decided to see him in person. Soon he went to see Gandhiji and after giving him respect by touching his feet he asked him, did he really write the letter to dismiss those representatives from Harijan and other backward communities, Gandhi said yes. He further said, if people become very happy and fulfilled by just talking to them nicely and giving them just lip services then there is no need of doing the same. Since the person could not deny the order of such great leaders of India, the three members were eventually sacked. He cautioned same thing could happen in Nepal, as the great leaders who are fortunately, or unfortunately Bahuns from three party are likely to do the same to Dalits.

The meeting decided to meet twice a month from now onwards and discuss the different issues pertaining to Dalits and take necessary roles. Since there are 14 committees out of which 11 are thematic and many of them are in the process of preparing their concept and submit to the main committee lead by Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, there is an immediate need to provide suggestions from Dalit side. To start with the meeting has decided to interact first with the Committee of State Restructuring and its one of the members is Mrs. Shantidevi Chamar. She has promised that she will talk to the chairman first and bring him to the larger forum of Dalits for interaction and if not possible she will herself represent the committee and take up the issues, concerns and suggestions of other CA members as well as Dalit civil society.

Mr. Shambhu Hajara Paswan the Chairman of Formation of Government Structure Committee will follow the State Restructure Committee and will soon interact with other Dalit CA members along with Dalit civil society. Mr. Hari Shreepaili and Purnasingh Dayal suggested bringing in other members of CA as much as possible so that they can contribute and be aware what outside the CA the Dalit civil society feels. The date and venue of the first interaction will be decided by day after tomorrow.

Report by:
Hira Vishwakarma
Executive President, DSDC
Kathmandu