DIPAYAL: It sounds strange, but firewood touched by dalits is
considered unholy by the people of Dipayal, the regional headquarters of
the far-western region.
The non-dalit people here don't use firewood carried by dalits to
cook food. If they have to use it, they wash it first. "This practice is
prevalent only in Dipayal", says Lal Bahadur Bogati, president of
Non-government Federation.
Bharat Nepali, a local in Dipayal, said that such discrimination has
been continuing in Dipayal despite dozens of Non Governmental
Organizations
(NGOs) as well as the District Administration working to
banish this discriminatory practice from the local society. "The NGO
workers advocate social equality only for their own interests. They are,
in fact, not concerned about the real problem in hand," he said.
Even those working for the "welfare" of dalits are not exempt from
such conservative notions as dalits are not allowed to have meals and
stay in hotels in Silgadhi, district headquarters of Doti. The dalits
have to take shelter in cowsheds in nearby villages.
They are not even allowed to share public taps and enter temples.
They also have to speak in a demure tone with the so-called "higher
caste" people.
"We have been victimized by such discriminative medieval practices
despite legal provisions against such practices," a dalit activist
complains.
To top it all, the "high-class" people here sprinkle water on their
bodies to "purify" themselves after they return home from pubic
programs, or if touched by dalits.
source:- The Kathmandu Post
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