Prof. Man Bahadur Vishwakarma This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. []nepaldalitinfo Home[]

   www.nepaldalitinfo.20m.com/new - [Cached]

   Last Visited: 11/23/2007

   Prof. Man Bahadur Vishwakarma has been released along with a few other activists of democracy as per the release order of the Supreme Court following a writ petition filed against the state by renowned lawyer Harihar Dahal.
   ...
   On democracy day, the 7th of Falgun (February 18), Prof. Vishwakarma along with other peaceful demonstrators demanding the restoration of multiparty democracy in the country was arrested, and put into a kind of jail at Nepal Electricity Authority's Training facility turned into a detention center.
   
   By the 2/1 Royal takeover, many articles of the present Constitution relating to fundamental rights to organization and expression of views have been suspended. As a result, many political activists in Nepal have been put either in house arrest or in the Government custody.
   
   In the last two weeks, another Dalit leader and former member of National Dalit Commission Mr Jitu Gautam has also been arrested, and put into the same custody as Prof. Vishwakarma.
   
   According to Vishwakarma, there were 95 political detainees with him in the beginning.
   ...
   The best part of the detainment was that the inmates came from all the agitating political parties such as UML, NC Girija, NC Democratic, Majdur Kisan Party, they were all united; all shared the same view on democracy and did not have any conflict, rather they were sharing their personal belongingness, Vishwakarma further added. He treasures the whole experience, and feels that such a great sense of unity and belongingness is very important in all movements, particularly among Dalits fighting for the common cause. After his 42 day ordeal, Prof. Vishwakarma is even more determined to fight for restoring multiparty democracy in the country, and will soon resume the activity. [Report received from Kathmandu on March 31, 2005]
   ...
   * Update on Prof. Man Bahadur Vishwakarma
   
   Prof. Man Bahadur Vishwakarma is still in custody amid very tight security at the premises of NEA training centre situated at Kharipati Bhaktapur, as his wife is reported as saying over a telephone conversation. Only close relatives are allowed to visit him after much interrogation and one at a time. He has now grown big beard with his thin body.
   
   Along with other fighters for democracy who were arrested in the aftermath of 2/1 Royal takeover, Prof. Vishwakarma is kept in a very tight custody, and now they all have been issued arrest papers alleging them to disturb the public places with an intention of going against the state. A case at the Supreme Court is also going on, and no one knows when they will be released.
   ...
   Professor Man Bahadur Vishwakarma, a supporter of democracy and a champion of Dalit rights in Nepal has been arrested on 18th of February while he and other party workers were demonstrating peacefully against the current move of authoritarian government of the country.
   
   Prof. Vishwakarma is now under the custody of security personnel at Kharipati in the premise of Nepal Electricity Authority Training complex. After five days of arrest, only his immediate family member was allowed to visit him, and now it is learnt that a slip to keep him under custody without any charge at least for the next 3 months has been issued.
   
   Prof. Man Bahadur Vishwakarma born 55 years ago in Arghakhanchi district, a western district in rural Nepal comes from a poverty striken Dalit family. He was educated in Ranchi of India. Throughout his schooling he stood first in his class, and got his Masters Degree in science and mathematics. He came back to Nepal in 1978, and started his career as assistant lecturer of mathematics at Amrit Science College under Tribhuwan University. He is still well known among science students in Kathmandu as being a very good teacher of mathematics when he was teaching, and he was well off as an academic professional.
   
   Upon the restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal in 1990, he was approached by many mainstream political parties including UML and Nepali Congress. Eventually, he joined Nepali Congress, and he has been a very active member of the party since then. A difficult time came in his life to choose between his academic profession and political career. For the larger public good and the cause of his own Dalit community, he decided to join politics, by giving up not only his professorial career but also discontinuing the Ph.D. studies that he was pursuing.
   
   He is now President of Nepal Dalit Sangh, a sister organization of Nepal Congress for Dalit community. With regard to his contribution to Dalit rights, he has played a significant role to have in place a quota system of scholarships for Dalits to study medicine and engineering under Ministry of Education, and also in brining out a national strategy for Dalit upliftment under 9th and 10th Five Year Plan of the government. He has served as Vice President of Dalit Bikas Samity (Committee for Dalit Development) under Ministry of Local Development.
   
   Despite his economic hardship upon leaving behind his academic profession, Prof. Vishwakarma has dedicated himself to the cause of the democracy and Dalit rights in Nepal. He is now under the custody of security personnel under the undemocratic emergency rule in Nepal.
   
   Clearly, without democracy and human rights in a country like Nepal, efforts being made for Dalit rights can not gain momentum. Therefore, a time has come to internationalise the issue and garner much solidarity and support for the immediate release of all the fighters of democracy including Prof. Vishwakarma.