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Low-caste Hindus convert to other religions in Chandigarh
In Chandigarh, scores of dalits (low-caste Hindus) on Monday embraced Buddhism, Christianity and other religions. Talking to IRNA on the reason for the conversion of almost 200 low-castes Hindus to other religions on the 112th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Udit Raj, president of the All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes Organization, said on Tuesday that low-caste Hindus are being murdered, raped, confiscated of property and discriminated in all walks of life and now they want to seek a dignified life. People are converting to escape from the rigid caste system of Hindu society practiced in India, he added. Kind of a slap to the old hinduvta, isn't it? The RSS will be calling for more legislation against conversions... He said Ambedkar, the father of the Indian constitution and who was a low-caste Hindu, rejected Hinduism and converted to Buddhism due to its malpractices and the discrimination that is embedded in Hinduism. Udit Raj, who is a leading figure in encouraging low-caste Hindus to convert to other religions, himself renounced Hinduism and has converted to Buddhism along with 15,000 low-caste hindus. Raj insisted that many lower-caste Hindus were voluntarily converting to other religions. In the ceremony at Chandigarh, in the Union Territory of India, organized by a collection of lower-caste and minority organizations like the Dalit Panthers Force, the All-India Confederation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Organisations and the National Federation of Dalit Women, the ceremony to convert dalits to Buddhism was conducted by a monk. Later, young volunteers from a local church washed the feet of 10 dalit children and declared them Christians. And now they're not dalits anymore. Next thing you know, they'll be eating McDonald's and learning how to read and write. Yasss... Legislation's definitely called for. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-04-15 |
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