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Thousands of dalits on Sunday embraced Buddhism at a ceremony in Ambedkar Bhawan in central Delhi.
The All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, which had initially announced a programme for conversion of one million dalits, had to shift the ceremony to Ambedkar Bhawan after police denied them permission to hold the ceremony at the Ramlila grounds.
Around three thousand people had gathered at Ambedkar Bhawan complex amidst utter confusion and it was not clear how many people actually embraced Buddhism, as the organisers were not in a position to provide any details.
An office bearer of AICSSO, however, said, "Several thousand dalits have embraced Buddhism in the ceremony."
AICSSO chairman Ram Raj criticised the government for denying them permission to organise the ceremony at the Ramlila grounds saying they had planned a peaceful function.
Ram Raj, who pronounced that he had become Udai Raj after the conversion, alleged that the police had prevented thousands of people from entering Delhi.
Those who took a vow to become Buddhist had to tonsure their heads amidst chanting of mantras.
Ram Raj came down heavily on the government for denying his organisation the permission to hold the conversion ceremony at the venue decided earlier and alleged that "it had been done at the behest of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishwa Hindu Parishad".
"The government does not want that dalits should walk out of the age old caste system," he said.
Addressing the people who embraced the new religion, Ram Raj said they were beginning a new life and his organisation had been getting support from all over the world.
He also criticised Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati alleging that she had tried to sabotage the conversion programme.
PTI
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