MPs Criticize Government's Anti-Poverty Policy, Demand Action on Discrimination and Suicide

Kathmandu. Members of Parliament have strongly criticized the government's policy of driving away the poor, calling it a move that targets the impoverished.

Speaking during an emergency session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, MPs including Bishnumaya BK, Shambhu Prasad Dhakal, and Niti Ghatani expressed strong objections to the government spreading terror with bulldozers against vulnerable and marginalized citizens.

MP BK accused the government of spreading bulldozer terror in the settlements of the poor, calling it 100% wrong and demanding immediate relief for the landless.

Criticizing the government, MP BK said, 'The policy the government has adopted to drive the poor away from Kathmandu is 100% wrong. The government's policy should be to eradicate poverty, not the poor. Today, landless people across the country are protesting due to bulldozer terror. I request the government to address them with solace. The country is now seeking peace, not conflict. Therefore, I urge the government to be ready for peace establishment.'

Similarly, MP Shambhu Prasad Dhakal expressed serious concern over the increasing number of suicide incidents in the country and warned the government to proceed with investigations to ensure justice for the victims. He reminded that the government should take the investigation of such incidents seriously, ensuring that the guilty are punished and the victims receive justice.

Providing details of an incident, MP Dhakal said, 'Yesterday evening, Pitambar Khadka, who worked at a bank in Biratnagar, committed suicide. Before committing suicide, he had stated that four seniors and one colleague had forced him to commit suicide by keeping their photos. A young man from Sunsari, working abroad for foreign employment, fell in love with a girl from Jhapa Kankai-5. When the young man returned to Nepal, the girl's family went to his house with a marriage proposal. The boy's side offered a motorcycle and 1 million rupees. The girl, thinking her love had failed, committed suicide. In such cases, the concerned bodies should investigate without pressure and take strict action against the guilty.'

During the meeting, MPs also cautioned the government to take necessary steps to end discrimination against the Dalit community. Mentioning that injustices are still happening to Dalits in various parts of the country, they stated that the government needs to launch a special campaign to prevent such incidents.

Speaking on Dalit rights, MP Ghatani said, 'This is a question raised in society against the prohibition, discrimination, and exclusion imposed on the Dalit community for years. There is also the question of why Dalits are still discriminated against in this state. We have included equality and justice for Dalits in the constitution. We have also declared the nation free from untouchability. However, the situation in practice still appears different. A young man who came to study in Kathmandu was evicted from his rented room by the landlord after learning his caste. I demand that the government create a situation where the Dalit community is treated with respect.'

MP Ghatani also emphasized the need for the government to increase special monitoring to completely end discrimination against the Dalit community in society.