KATHMANDU: Nepal’s new govt said it would issue a "formal state apology" to Dalits and other historically excluded communities within 15 days under prime minister Balendra Shah’s 100-point reform agenda, in what activists described as a historic acknowledgment of generations of caste-based discrimination, exclusion and denial of opportunity. The proposed apology is to be accompanied by measures on social justice, inclusive restoration and historical reconciliation.
The agenda said: “We will formally acknowledge the injustice, discrimination and deprivation of opportunities inflicted on Dalits and historically marginalised communities by the state, society and policy structures, and prepare the basis for social justice, inclusive restoration and historical reconciliation.” It added that a reform-oriented programme would be announced too.
