Kathmandu, March 7, 2018
Two journalists were denied rooms for rent by a house-owner in the capital because they came from the Dalit community.
Journalist Bikram Sunar of Image Channel and Milan Biswakarma, working for Arthik Abhiyan were denied rooms by house-owners Shyam Prasad Gutam and Kamala Gautam of Thapagaon, Kathmandu even though they had paid the advance amount for the same. The duo returned to find that the rooms had already been awarded to someone else.
Speaking at a press meet held here today, journalist Biswakarma said they had paid Rs. 2,500 in advance for the two rooms for monthly rent of Rs. 11,500. However, on the day they were supposed to shift, they came to know that somebody else had already occupied them. Upon confronting the Gautam couple, they said ‘We won’t allow Dalits rooms’, Biswakarma retold the mistreatment. They also threatened boasting of senior police personnel to be their close ones.
Stating that they were mistreated only for belonging to the Dalit community, the journalist duo called for action against the Gautam couple as per Caste Based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2068 (2011).
