KASARGOD: Nearly 300 members of Dalits and other backward caste communities converted to Buddhism in Kanhangad on Sunday, said office-bearers of All India Mulnivasi Bahujan Samaj Central Sangh [AIMBSCS] and PraBuddha Bharat Sangh, which organised the event. AIMBSCS is an organisation promoting Ambedkarism. People from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and all over Kerala participated in the Dhama Dhiksha ceremony, the organisers said.
Most of the converts were from Malavetuva, Mavila and Mugar communities. The conversion assumes significance in the wake of Vellappally Natesan’s proposed Samathwa Muneta Yathra on Monday.
“This is the first time in South India where the converts recited the Trisaranam, Panchasheel and took the 22 vows of Ambedkarism,” said C J Krishnan, an organiser.
Vijay Mankar, national organiser, AIMBSCS, invoked social reformers of Kerala including Ayyankali, Sree Narayana Guru and Sahodaran Ayyappan during the ceremony.
Many new converts recounted the harrowing experiences and pain they were subjected to under the caste system. “The success of the event is a commentary on the wide discrimination prevalent in the society,” Krishnan said. According to the 2011 census, the number of Buddhists in the state has grown to 4,752 from the 1000 in 2001.
The function was held under heavy police protection after bunting, flags and boards of the event were vandalised on Saturday.