KATHMANDU, Aug 14: The government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah unveiled 100 agendas for government reform. Among them was a commitment that stood out: a formal apology to Dalits and other groups that have historically faced exclusion, on behalf of the state.
The announcement drew national and international attention. For the first time in Nepal’s history, the government acknowledged the structural discrimination, oppression and deprivation of opportunities perpetrated through the state system and announced that it would introduce a reform-oriented program, including an apology, within 15 days. However, the slow pace of implementation has raised questions in the National Assembly.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, National Assembly member Bhuwan Bahadur Sunar asked Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam about the fifth point of the government’s 100-point reform agenda, which included a commitment to apologize to Dalits and marginalized communities.
“What happened to that commitment?” Sunar asked.
Dalit lives matter
In response, Minister Gautam said the government remained firmly committed to the pledge and that progress had already been made in terms of policy and legislation. However, a close look at the timeline shows a clear gap between the announcement and its implementation. Four months after the agenda was unveiled, no formal apology has yet been issued.
A formal apology by the state to a historically marginalized community is not merely a matter of moral consolation, experts say. Such an apology should acknowledge the state’s responsibility for the oppression and discrimination faced by Dalits through policies and laws, including the Muluki Ain of 1910 BS. It should also be accompanied by measures to ensure equal status and dignity for socially disadvantaged citizens and provide special support in areas such as education, health, land and employment as a form of redress for past discrimination.
According to Minister Gautam, the government is seeking to link the apology with legal and budgetary measures rather than limiting it to a symbolic statement. She said a bill has been drafted to implement the fundamental rights guaranteed to Dalits under Article 40 of the Constitution and that work has progressed through an expert committee in accordance with the Legislative Act 2081 BS.
The government says Rs 3 billion has been allocated for children under five from Dalit communities, while the child support allowance has been doubled to Rs 1,000 per month.
Through the budget for fiscal year 2026/27, the government also plans to operate “model homestays” in Madhesh, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, promote traditional arts and crafts in 111 local levels, and run entrepreneurship programs for Dalit women. It has also pledged to resolve the problems faced by landless Dalits and squatters in the next fiscal year.
Despite these claims, analysts say the situation on ground remains very different. Months after the government announced that a formal apology would be issued within 15 days, neither the prime minister nor any other government official has apologized in Parliament or at a formal ceremony.
The failure to enact laws to implement Dalits’ fundamental rights even a decade after the promulgation of the Constitution has itself raised questions about the state’s priorities. There is also no clear roadmap for fully implementing the 15-point recommendations put forward by the National Dalit Commission, including the establishment of a fast-track special court, a national development authority for the Dalit community, and patent rights for traditional occupations.
The government’s pledge to apologize to Dalits and marginalized communities was a courageous beginning and a potential marker of a new era in Nepal’s sociopolitical history, raising hopes among Dalit activists. However, analysts argue that such a commitment cannot be fulfilled through limited budgetary programs and draft statements alone.
Until the proposal for a formal apology is formally adopted and published in the Nepal Gazette, and proportional representation in line with the Commission’s recommendations is guaranteed by law, critics fear the announcement could remain little more than an unfulfilled promise.
