If the republican candidates treated muslims as the enemy , the obama campaign treated them like untouchables , keeping the democratic candidate 's muslim supporters at arm 's length throughout the election .
That has marginalised other groups : the madhesi people of the plains bordering india ; the janajatis , " indigenous " groups who speak tibeto-burman languages ; and dalits , once known as " untouchables " .
Even though the lowest social group , the dalits -- once known as ' untouchables ' -- has produced some successful businesspeople , it still lags well behind higher classes who have twice the median household income , a recent survey shows .