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With the ordinance banning forced religious conversions bringing Christianity and Islam into focus, dalits in Tamil Nadu now say they will turn to Buddhism for succour.
Many of them say they will embrace Buddhism on December 6, the death anniversary of dalit leader B R Ambedkar.
The Tamil Nadu Dalit Legal Forum, Federation of Human Rights for Dalit Liberation and the Dalit Panchayat Presidents' Federation are spearheading the programme. They say the ordinance is unconstitutional and the chances of its misuse, particularly against dalits, whom it seeks to protect, are high.
However, they are not willing to say how many will convert or where the programme will be held.
They cite the village-level caste equations that run across the political and administrative spectrum as the main reason for the possible misuse of the ordinance.
They may have a point, as the Thevar community in villages like Pappapatti and Keeripatti in southern Tamil Nadu do not allow dalits to contest reserved panchayat seats. They do not want to have a dalit panchayat president and make no bones about proclaiming their reservations.
"The ordinance is against the freedom of individuals to accept the religion of his choice, to practice and propagate its ideals," says N Dayalan, advisor to the DPPF.
According to K Mohan, convenor of the Dalit Lawyers Forum, "The state should ponder over the reasons for conversion. It should find ways to end the discrimination of dalits, and not disillusion them further."
In thousands of villages, he says, "dalits are not allowed to worship in temples. The 'double-tumbler system' continues to be followed in most village teashops and other public places."
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