Paswan’s Journey from Dalit Rights Defender to NA Member

Dharmendra Paswan, who spent significant time of his life in the campaign advocating for Dalit rights, has been elected a National Assembly member.

Paswan involved in Dalit rights movement for 35 years. He finally secured a position to frame laws for the nation.

The Dalit rights defender secured the vote weightage of 7,904 in the NA election held on Sunday. He, a Nepali Congress candidate, was elected from the Dalit cluster from the Madhes Province. Paswan’s rival from the Nepali Communist Party, Ram Nand Prasad, got only 1,376 vote weightage and Chameli Devi Das from the Janata Samajbadi Party collected vote weightage of 209.

Paswan had filed his candidate as a common candidate of the Nepali Congress and the CPN UML. He was also in the Nepali Congress politics for long.

Since his early age, Paswan began raising voice against discrimination, injustice and exclusion prevalent in the society. Born at ward no 3 of Paroha municipality in Rautahat district, Paswan has earned BA in political science.

The discrimination, disgrace and deprivation the Dalit community faced hurt him much that it provoked him to involve in the campaign for their rights- human rights and social justice. It could help build an inclusive democracy.

For his contribution to the society through the involvement in non-government organizations, Paswan has also received international awards. Currently, he is the central General Secretary of Dalit Association.

He, however, laments expected achievements are yet to realize. A long struggle is made for the rights of Dalit community, he said, adding that he would continue his struggle for Dalit rights even from the law-making body.

“I will raise Dalit issues vibrantly from the National Assembly. I extend full support to the Dalit liberation movement,” Paswan informed.

Chief of publicity department of the Nepali Congress in Madhes Province, Nitesh Kumar Gupta, observed that Paswan belongs to an ordinary family and he is an honest, disciplined and pro-people person. “Honesty, integrity and resolution are his identities,” he added. (RSS)