Una Dalit victims to convert to Buddhism to highlight caste bias
AHMEDABAD: Families of four of the Dalit men assaulted by self-styled cow vigilantes in Gujarat’s Una town two years ago will convert to Buddhism on Sunday to send out the message “loud and clear” that discrimination against their community must end.
Ramesh Sarviya and his brothers Vasram and Ashok and cousin Bechar (were tied to a car, flogged and paraded half-naked for 15km, then thrashed outside the Una police station on July 11, 2016, for allegedly skinning dead cattle.
The incident sparked outrage across the country and a strong political response in a country of 1.3 billion people, of which Dalits number 200 million.
“The flogging incident raised the issue of the day-today ordeal of a Dalit in India on an international platform. Now, we would embrace Buddhism, as per the path shown by our leader Bhimrao Ambedkar, to send the message of discrimination loud and clear,”said Vasram Sarviya. Vasram said he suffers headaches because of an eardrum damaged in the assault and his two brothers still complain of joint and muscle pain.
Ramesh and Ashok alleged on Wednesday that they were threatened by two men on a motorcycle and armed with iron rods to withdraw the case against those accused of assaulting them. They lodged a complaint at the Una police station.
Ramesh Sarviya’s wife Sonal, who married him a year after the incident, said she stands with the family’s decision to embrace Buddhism and says they still face discrimination.
“We have to carry our utensils to fields with us as the owner (of the agricultural field where they work) would not like to give us food on his plates and bowls,” Sonal said.
To be sure, the Sarviyas say the conversion will not mean any change. “But at least we would not be worshipping the same gods whose followers beat us and do not wish to see our progress,” Vasram said.
The Sarviyas are expected to be joined by 27 other Dalit families from their village, Mota Samadhiya, in abandoning Hinduism on Buddha Purnima, which marks the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.