CHENNAI: Casteist discrimination is not new for them, having faced and resisted it all through their lives to become successful doctors, some serving in government service. But if a patient is hesitant to approach because the doctor is from a Dalit, that is a sign of a malaise for which there is no cure.
Unwilling to continue in a religious establishment that has always been discriminatory to them, a group of persons including 47 doctors converted to Buddhism at a function organised in Chennai on Sunday by Makkal Medical Team to commemorate the 60th anniversary of BR Ambedkar’s mass conversion in Nagpur.
Explaining the discrimination they faced while in service across the State, especially the rural heartland of Tamil Nadu where caste is still a very important factor, the doctors recounted the difficulties they faced to get a house on rent, avail the services of domestic helps and drivers, or while buying property.
“I was willing to pay Rs 2.50 crore that the person asked for the land I wanted to buy in Trichy. But he wanted to know my caste. I had to hide my caste to purchase the land,” said Dr G Govindaraj, a surgical oncologist. He has now adopted the name GG Buddh Raj. “Now I need not bother about my caste,” added the doctor from Trichy.
That episode is relatively minor when compared to the story recalled by Dr MV Thambiah, an orthopaedic at the government hospital in Cuddalore. “Even patients check our caste before undergoing treatment. It is not done openly, but subtly. They simply say ‘we will go to the doctor we know for further treatment’,” he said wryly.
“In one instance,” he added, “a patient scheduled for surgery asked if he can get blood of the upper caste donor. I was shocked to hear this, but these are the things we face at our work on daily basis.”
There is discrimination all around, added Dr Janakiraman, an anaesthesiologist now posted at Government headquarters hospital in Cuddalore. “Doctors on rural service will not get accommodation if it’s an upper caste dominated village. Only the Dalits can understand the difficulties,” said Dr Janakiraman, who has now assumed the name Dr Satya Sakya after the conversion.
Another doctor, Dr N Periyasamy, an assistant professor in the anaesthesiology department at the Government Trichy Medical College, said it was impossible to find a domestic help or driver. “I can afford to pay good salary, but they are hesitant to work under me,” he said.
“Dalits were historically Buddhists. But after 2 AD, they were ostracised and treated as untouchable. So we don’t call it as conversion, but a reversion,” added the doctor.
After facing such discrimination for centuries, many such communities are seeking out Buddhism because it preaches equality, fundamental rights and freedom. “This is why there is an increase in the number of people turning to Buddhism. In recent times, educated and cultured persons who are aware of their rights have been opting Buddhism,” said Dhammanag, the monk from UK who was present during the function.
Besides doctors, several of their family members, too, embraced Buddhism, taking the number of people to around 70, said the organisers.