Kathmandu, January 31
A member of the House of Representatives has objected to the government’s campaign of demolishing chhaugoths, impoverished huts outside the main residential house in western Nepal built for menstruating women to stay during their period.
The government has launched the campaign arguing it promoted seclusion of the women and the tradition of treating menstruating women as untouchables. However, Gajendra Mahat, a lawmaker of the ruling Nepal Communist Party representing the Jumla constituency, said the government was demolishing residential houses of the locals in the names of chhaugoths.
“Can you demolish a house just because someone died there?” he questioned, “Recently, eight persons died in a hotel. So will you go demolishing all hotels?” Mahat said the campaign was not necessary.
He said the government should focus on controlling corruption instead of such campaigns.
