Room for Dalits

Jayalal Budha, 60, of Natikhola in Himali Rural Municipality-2, Bajura has been residing outside the village for the last six years because he had offered drinking water to a Dalit guest inside his house. A Dalit family at Sirampati in Panchkhal Municipality-7, Kavre district did not get shelter in Kriyaputri Bhawan (dedicated mourning public place) because of her caste. Kalu Devi Bishwokarma, Member of Parliament at the lower house, representing Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal from Kailali district, did not get rented apartment in Koteshwor, Balkumari, New Baneshwor, and Shantinagar in Kathmandu. According to her, most of the house owners asked her name and caste and finally rejected her with different types of excuses.

Such news is frequently appearing in national newspapers. Dalit people experience difficulties finding rented shelter in the capital city Kathmandu. The case of Rupa Sunar, a media worker, and Saraswati Pradhan, landlord at Babarmahal, Kathmandu is becoming a hot issue.