Nepal Dalit Apology: The government’s decision to backtrack on its plan to apologize to Dalits has sparked dissent within Ravi Lamichhane’s party.
Santosh Pariyar, a prominent Dalit leader within the RSP, has emotionally distanced himself from both the party and his official roles. He stated, “An apology consisting merely of words—without concrete policies or legal documentation—holds no meaning.”
Nepal Government Backtracks on Proposal to Apologize to Dalits!
Kathmandu: Nepal’s Balen Shah administration has quietly backtracked on its proposal to issue an apology to the Dalit community. The government has surreptitiously all but abandoned the initiative to apologize to Dalits. Just last month, the Balen Shah government had announced that it intended to introduce a proposal wherein “an apology would be tendered to the Dalits, who have been persecuted for centuries.” According to *The Kathmandu Post*, any further discussion regarding the government’s proposed apology is now rendered futile, as the initiative has been quietly shelved. The newspaper wrote, “The government led by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has shamelessly broken its promise and has effectively sidestepped the issue through an emotional speech delivered by Ravi Lamichhane.”
Raising pertinent questions, the newspaper asked: How—and why—did the Balen administration withdraw its own decision to issue a formal apology to the Dalits? The publication noted that while some argue that Ravi Lamichhane did indeed apologize to the Dalits in Parliament on April 2—promising the nation that, unlike in times past, no individual or caste group would henceforth face discrimination—there remains a significant distinction between an apology offered by an individual and one issued officially by the government.
What exactly had the Balen Shah government promised? In fact, when a new government led by Balen Shah was formed in Nepal in March 2026, he announced in his 100-point common minimum program that the government would issue a formal state apology to the Dalit community for historical discrimination within 15 days. This was hailed as a revolutionary step. True to this promise, on April 2, Home Minister and RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane delivered an emotional speech in Parliament, apologizing for the injustices inflicted upon Dalits. However, Nepali experts and newspapers argue that this was merely a “political speech,” not an official “state apology.”
This is because a formal state apology requires a Cabinet decision, followed by the President’s seal of approval, and finally, it must be published in the Government Gazette. The government failed to complete any of these legal procedures. An apology was merely tendered in Parliament—a gesture deemed incomplete. No legal motion was passed to formalize this. According to *The Kathmandu Post*, even after the 15-day deadline had elapsed, the government failed to present any written documentation. It is alleged that the government backtracked on this initiative under pressure from conservative factions within the ruling coalition and from established political parties.
**Dissent Within the National Independent Party**
The government’s decision to renege on its promise to apologize to Dalits has sparked dissent within Rabi Lamichhane’s party. Santosh Pariyar, a prominent Dalit leader within the RSP, has emotionally distanced himself from both the party and his official roles. He stated, “An apology consisting merely of words—without a concrete policy or legal documentation—is utterly meaningless.” The party, however, maintains that it *did* issue an apology. Speaking in Parliament, Rabi Lamichhane declared, “I apologize—not in my capacity as Home Minister, but as a citizen of this country—to all those Dalits who have been subjected to humiliation.” Yet, Dalit activists have denounced this as an act of betrayal and deception.
According to reports, the government had been advised by various quarters that issuing an apology to Dalits at the official state level would imply an admission of guilt regarding past atrocities—a move that could potentially trigger demands for financial compensation. Furthermore, the government feared that once ‘historical injustice’ was officially acknowledged, the Dalit community could put forward significant legal claims for job reservations and land rights.
Curated by: Abhijat Shekhar Azad
About the Author
Abhijat Shekhar Azad is an International Affairs and Defense Journalist at Navbharat Times Online. He possesses approximately 17 years of experience across various news channels and digital journalism platforms.
Courtesy: Hindi News