Una’s 2016 Dalit flogging victims embrace Buddhism

Nearly 300 Dalits, including families of four Dalit youth who were flogged by self-styled cow vigilantes for allegedly skinning a dead cow near Mota Samadhiaya village in Una Taluka embraced Buddhism.

The incident of Dalit flogging occurred in July 2016 which had drawn attention of entire nation. Three sons and a nephew of Balubhai Sarvaiya were flogged and paraded naked near Mota Samadhiyala village on the allegation of skinning dead cow. On Sunday they all converted to Buddhism along with their families and other Dalits in the area situated in Gir Somnath district.

For conversion process Buddhist monks came. Besides, people from Maharashtra too came to attend the occasion. According to Sarvaiya, he and other Dalit took the step out of frustration as they didn’t want to be part of the community which did not value humans. He also claimed that as promised by the state government neither gave jobs of his sons nor allotted land to his family.

Interestingly four days ahead of conversion process, Sarvaiya had also lodged a police complaint saying that his family got threat for change of faith and hence he should be given police protection.

After the incident of Dalit flogging, top political leaders including Rahul Gandhi, then Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, couple of Union Ministers, Dalit leader Mayavati among other visited Mota Samadhiyala village. Moreover, Jignesh Mevani too emerged as Dalit leader post this incident and went on to become MLA. Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student who committed suicide at a University in Hyderabad had also visited the village along with JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar.