On political activity of Dalits of Nepal.

This book offers an in-depth analysis of the interrelationship between long-standing caste discrimination in Nepal, its vicious circle of impact upon the Dalit groups and the changes brought by the recent political transformations. It explores the links between identity politics, Dalit struggle and Dalit rights although Dalit identity is contested within the group. The author explores the types of institutional measures that would be required to achieve social justice for Dalit in Nepal and analyses the underlying causes and nature of the deeply entrenched social, economic, education and political inequality manifested in the life cycle of Dalit. The book examines contemporary political transformations, including state restructuring and federalism processes, and explores different models of federalism by a variety of experts in detail; this is done with a view to making specific findings on the required institutional reform measures for the improvement of Dalit inclusion and representation in state mechanisms and policies. This book contributes to the literature on the caste and Dalit discourse by proposing that the hegemonic caste structure is deeply entrenched and needs to be deracinated by asserting unified group politics of recognition in Nepal. Political Transformations in Nepal will be of interest to academics working on South Asian Politics, Identity Politics, and Asian Social Policy.

This book is a detailed account of how hierarchy has been maintained historically by the Nepali state, affirming the uniqueness of a caste-based social order by bringing outsiders, especially ethnic groups and religious minorities, into the caste fold. Focusing on the contemporary state of Dalits, the community that was and is put at the bottom of a very hierarchical social order in Nepal, the author argues that the traditional caste-based social order is still prevalent in the “new” Nepal even after the recent socio-political and constitutional changes. Illustrated by scientifically employed and interpreted data mainly in the three sectors of education, politics and employment, the book postulates that people who were and are born into the “high caste” still have more access to the resources and opportunities available in society in comparison with those born into the “lower” caste. It further argues that although reservation policies are in place to address social exclusion, these could not bring expected outcomes mainly due to the lack of engagement, if not ignorance, of both dominant groups and the community in the margin. The absence of clarity among political actors on the positive discrimination and affirmative actions has contributed to backtracking the recently created space in line with “inclusive Nepal”.

Contributed articles with predominantly on social issues of Dalit women of Nepal.

I had Seen discrimination, Dalit was hegemonised, and faced many social problems and challenges, made far worse by state mechanism under Hindu ideology, which gave me the key interest to examine the praxis/practices of untouchability and caste based discrimination which is rampant in the society. I've always had the curiosity in mind over how and why caste-based discrimination and untouchability exists, what sorts of discrimination the Dalits, or so-called inferiors caste groups, have been facing, and the severity of that discrimination. Does caste based discrimination exists only against Dalits by non-Dalits, or does it exists among Dalits themselves? Which is more severe, discrimination by non-Dalits or Intra-Dalit discrimination, and does discrimination exists only due to Hindu ideology or are other factors also responsible. I see the intra-dalit conflict is too much vast and more challenging.