Eighty-six people converted to Christianity and Buddhism in Chennai on Friday to protest against the Anti-Conversion Act of the Tamil Nadu government, organisers claimed.
The All India SC and ST Federation, the main organiser of the programme, had earlier said 2,000 dalits would embrace Buddhism and another 1,000 Christianity.
However, police did not allow most of the people to enter the venue of the programme, S Ranganathan, president of the Tamil Nadu Dalit Federation, one of the organisers, alleged.
He said 56 people embraced Christianity and 30 became Buddhists at the programme, but only two came on stage to announce that they had converted.
The programme, held at a church ground in suburban Seliyur, was organised as part of the observance of the death anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar.
The police had clamped prohibitory order in the area. The organisers, however, prevailed upon the police and got permission for the meeting.