Una victims, 300 others to embrace Buddhism today

Close to 300 Dalits, including families of the Una flogging victims will convert to Buddhism at a ceremony to be held at Mota Samdhiya village in Una taluka of Gujarat on Sunday. The conversion ceremony coincides with Budh Purnima. 25 families from Mota Samdhiya village will be among those embracing Buddhism

The Una incident refers to the flogging of eight Dalits by cow vigilantes. Four of them were later paraded half naked in the village. The incident lead to widespread outrage in the state and the country.

Ramesh Sarvaiya, one of the victims said the conversion was needed because it was obvious that no one considered them a Hindu. "Even after over 70 years of independence, Dalits are not free. The rest of Hindus don't consider us as one of them or else they wouldn't treat us so badly," said Sarvaiya. He said after the incident a lot of promises were made but none of them were kept. "Hence we decided to embrace Buddhism the way Babasaheb did," said Sarvaiya.

He said two days before the event, he got a call from the collector urging them that their issues will be addressed. "But now it is too late. If I were to back down now my people will think I was bribed by someone. Moreover, I know the government, they only make noises to pacify you," said Sarvaiya.

Dalit leader and MLA Jignesh Mevani called the conversion a slap on the face of Hindutva. "What do you expect them to do? There are videos of then CM Anandiben Patel making promises to them. The Gujarat government in the assembly now says no such promise was made," said Mevani who will not be attending the conversion ceremony as he is in Karnataka.

Buddhist monks from Porbandar and Nagpur are expected to take part in the conversion ceremony where the converts will also read out the vows taken by Ambedkar.

Keval Rathod, a Dalit rights activist said apart from the Una victims the family of Laljibhai Sarvaiya (a dalit youth burnt to death in anoladi village), those who are yet to get land in Motha village and some Dalit families who were victims of atrocities from Samted village will also be converting to Buddhism.

Rathod said they will be giving the forms for conversion on April 29. "The Gujarat government has brought a rule that no one can convert without the administrations nod which is against the right to religious freedom given in the constitution. Yet we will be giving the forms expressing the peoples wish to convert, if they oppose it we will decide the future course of action," said Rathod.