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🇳🇵 Nepal /Elections & Politics

Government Silently Ditches Proposed Apology to Dalits, Exposing Hypocrisy

From Kathmandu Post · (2d ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Nepali government, led by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has reportedly abandoned its promise to issue a formal apology to Dalits for historical caste discrimination.
  • This move is seen as a betrayal of public trust, especially given the government's mandate for good governance and transparency.
  • Despite an emotional speech by RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane offering an apology, it is not considered a state apology, and no new policy initiatives have been announced to address the deep-rooted issue of untouchability.

The Balendra Shah administration's decision to silently ditch the proposed state apology to Dalits is a profound disappointment and a stark display of dishonesty. Having initially committed to this significant step towards acknowledging historical injustices, the government, particularly through the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has now reneged on its promise. This prevarication, masked by Rabi Lamichhane's eloquent but ultimately hollow speech, exposes a deep hypocrisy within a government that was expected to champion transparency and accountability.

An apology is not enough.

— AuthorTitle of a previous column discussing the proposed apology.

Lamichhane's apology in Parliament, while perhaps well-intentioned, cannot substitute for a formal state apology. His declaration that caste-based humiliation would cease is a noble sentiment but lacks the concrete policy initiatives required to dismantle the deeply entrenched problem of untouchability. History has shown that such pronouncements, like Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's in 2006 declaring Nepal free from untouchability, often amount to little more than empty rhetoric. Without a formal Cabinet decision, gazette publication, and the Prime Minister's direct involvement, any apology remains unofficial and ineffective.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) government has shamelessly reneged on its promise—and prevaricated it through Rabi Lamichhane’s emotional speech.

— AuthorDescribing the government's withdrawal from its commitment.

It is deeply concerning that many, including members of the Dalit community, remain unaware that the planned state apology has been scrapped. The government's failure to formally address this critical issue through the proper channels—a Cabinet meeting and subsequent gazette notification—leaves Dalits without the official recognition and redress they deserve. This deliberate omission, coupled with the emotional theatrics employed, suggests a calculated effort to evade genuine responsibility and perpetuate the status quo of caste discrimination.

This exposes a height of dishonesty and hypocrisy on the part of a government popularly expected to deliver corruption control and good governance, as well as transparency and accountability.

— AuthorCritiquing the government's actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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