The new government led by Balendra Shah recently unveiled a list of 100 governance reform agendas. Among these, the agenda includes an official apology from the state for decades of discrimination against Dalits. Although this issue has been raised repeatedly over many years, this time the new government has prioritized it at the very beginning of its action plan. In this context, Prakashchandra Pariyar, a central committee member of Rastriya Swatantra Party and a Member of Parliament, remarked in an interview, “I am also an advocate for social justice.”
Speaking about his political journey and experience, Pariyar stated, “We believe in continuous, constructive, and positive intervention and must always strive for better efforts.” He attributed the significant voter support in this election to the growing political awareness of alternative ideologies. He also emphasized the need to expand alternative politics beyond Kathmandu.
He elaborated on the meaning and necessity of the state issuing an apology, saying, “What does it mean for the state to apologize? And why was this necessary?” Highlighting the importance of the apology for enhancing Nepal’s reputation internationally, he explained, “Even if a country advances in development, prosperity, and good governance, if discrimination, caste-based prejudice, and other inequalities persist, the state must seek forgiveness for these issues.”
Continuing, he remarked, “Our Constitution of 2072 (2015 AD) itself is a great achievement.” However, he noted that various laws necessary for its proper implementation are yet to be enacted. Pariyar emphasized, “The approach we desire is to link the law with service delivery and social security so that those facing discrimination clearly feel that the state is on their side.”
