NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 4, 2001: Twenty thousand Dalits assembled at the Ambedkar Bhawan in Delhi today and took a verbal oath converting to Buddhism. The Dalits, Hinduism’s lowest caste, were told they are Buddhists just by attending the rally and having wanted to convert to Buddhism. The ceremony was held despite being banned by the Delhi police who feared unrest. There was an elaborate ceremony to initiate Dalit leader Ram Raj into Buddhism. Ram Raj said “Today I am giving a call for change and I will take the issue to the people.” But there is pressure on the government from the RSS to prevent the Buddhist rally while the VHP has gone a step ahead and asked for the organizers of the rally to be arrested.
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