[Assam] Assam only having Bamuns(Brahmans) and Xoodirs(Sudras) how the political mosaic will look if all Xoodirs and Tribes decides to return to the Buddhist fold? Is such a move far fetched?

[Bartta Bistar]

Low-caste Hindus adopt new faith
Woman being baptised in Nagpur
Thousands attended the conversion ceremonies in Nagpur
Thousands of people have been attending mass ceremonies in India at which
hundreds of low-caste Hindus (Dalits) converted to Buddhism and
Christianity.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6050408.stm

The events in the central city of Nagpur are part of a protest against the
injustices of India's caste system.

By converting, Dalits - once known as Untouchables - can escape the
prejudice and discrimination they normally face.

The ceremonies mark the 50th anniversary of the adoption of Buddhism by the
scholar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

He was the first prominent Dalit to urge low-caste Indians to embrace
Buddhism.

As the chief architect of India's constitution, he wrote anti-discrimination
provisions and quota systems into the country's law.

But four-fifths of India's Dalits live in often isolated rural areas, and
traditional prejudice has persisted in spite of official laws.

'Cry for dignity'

The Dalits arrived by the truckload at a public park in Nagpur for
ceremonies, which began with religious leaders giving fiery speeches against
the treatment of lower castes.

Reuters reported that dozens of riot policemen had turned out at the
sprawling park.

Udit Raj, a Dalit leader, told the BBC that around 2,500 people converted to
Christianity and Buddhism.


DALIT FACTS
167m people, 16.2% of India's population
Nearly 60% live in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and
Tamil Nadu states
The lowest rank in Hindu society, beneath the traditional caste system
Expected to perform the most menial jobs, particularly handling cadavers and
human and animal waste
Physical contact with a Dalit was traditionally considered ritually
polluting for other castes
Even converts to Christianity and Islam have encountered discrimination from
higher-caste converts

Joseph D'Souza, the president of the Dalit Freedom Network and a Christian
convert, described the conversions as a "celebratory occasion".

"I think it's important to understand that this is a cry for human dignity,
it's a cry for human worth," he told the BBC.

He said that Dalits could seek dignity by converting to Christianity,
Jainism or Sikhism as well as Buddhism.

Buddhist convert Dhammachari Manidhamma told the BBC that social equality
was impossible within Hinduism.

"Buddha's teaching was for the humanity, and Buddha believed in equality.

"And Hindu religion, Hindu teaching is nothing but inequality.

Laws against conversion

Similar mass conversions are taking place this month in many other parts of
India.

Several states governed by the Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, have
introduced laws to make such conversions more difficult.

Dalits in Nagpur converting to Christianity and Buddhism
Hundreds of Dalits converted to Christianity and Buddhism

The states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have all passed laws
restricting conversions.

Gujarat has reclassified Buddhism and Jainism as branches of the Hindu
religion, in an attempt to prevent conversions away from Hinduism eroding
the BJP's bedrock support.

Hinduism teaches that most humans were created from parts of the body of the
divinity Purusha.

According to which body parts they were created from, humans fall into four
basic castes which define their social standing, who they can marry, and
what jobs they can do.

But Dalits fall outside this system and are traditionally prevented from
doing all but the most menial jobs or even drinking from the same water
sources as other castes.
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