On the occasion of the 112th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, around 150 Dalits converted to Buddhism in what they called a mass protest against the rising violence and atrocities against their community in Haryana. The programme was organised by the All India Confederation of SC/ST and BC Organisations, Haryana, in collaboration with Haryana Dalit Jan Kalyan Samiti and Haryana Balmiki Maha Sabha.A Buddhist monk gave deeksha to over 150 people from the backward communities, mostly scavengers, in the presence of All India Confederation of SC and ST Organisations national chairman Udit Raj at the Balmiki hall here. Ten children also converted to Christianity and nine people tonsured their heads to become monks.Vowing to shun cow worship, a basic tenet of Hinduism, the Dalits also held a buffalo-worship programme. Later, addressing the gathering, Udit Raj alleged the Dalits were facing harassment under the Chautala government in Haryana. Besides, they were also discriminated against in Class I and II jobs in the state, he alleged.However, most of the converts did not clearly know what conversion is all about. Shyam Lal from Chandigarh, who works in the Haryana Secretariat, said he had converted along with his three daughters for self-respect. Others, like Usha Chauhan and Vandana from Kalka, had no answer why they had decided to convert. Baba Prithpal Singh Maharaj, Maulana Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Imam Jama Masjid, Chandigarh, Rakesh Bahadur, president Dalit Jan Kalyan Samiti, Haryana, Chanda Singh, All India Christian Council, Chandigarh and Seema Bahadur, coordinator, NFDW, Haryana, were also present on the occasion.Karamvir Singh, president, Haryana unit of the All India Confederation of SC/ST/BC Organisations said similar conversion programmes had been undertaken all over Haryana.
