Thousands of Dalits embrace Buddhism

NEW DELHI, NOV. 4. Thousands of Dalits, from all over the country, today embraced Buddhism at the `Diksha ceremony' organised by the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations and the Lord Buddha Club.

Amid chanting of hymns in Pali by Bhante Buddha Priya Rahul, thousands of men, women and children renounced Hinduism, and `liberated' themselves from the bondage of the age- old caste system.

Mr. Ramraj, convener of the ceremony, national chairman of the confederation and president of the Lord Buddha Club, embraced Buddhism along with his entire family. He will henceforth be known as Uditraj. Later addressing the gathering, he said, ``this moment is historic as thousands have decided to renounce the centuries-old Brahminical system''. ``We have finally been `liberated' from the clutches of the caste system.''

People turned back

``Although I am overwhelmed by the presence of a large number of Dalits, thousands of my supporters have been detained at various entry points to the city,'' regretted Mr. Uditraj. He said some 50,000 people have been sent back from the railway station and thousands have been stopped at the various State borders.

- UNI, PTI

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