900 people embrace Buddhism in Gir-Somnath

Rajkot: Amid debate over religious conversion, Close to 900 people from scheduled caste (SC) and other backward classes (OBC) have embraced Buddhism in Gir-Somnath district
The function was organized by ‘Mission Jay Bhim’ and Samta Sainik Dal’ Gujarat on October 5 at Shanavakiya Buddha caves in Gir-Gadhada taluka of the district.
Buddhist monk Bhante Pragnaratna gave them diksha in the presence of Bhante Shensui Teresava, who specially came down from Japan to attend this function. The people who converted belong to Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh, Jamnagar and Gir-Somnath districts.
It’s believed that during the rule of Samrat Ashoka, around 10,000 Buddhist monks were residing in these caves and the village has several monuments of that era too.
Bhanu Chauhan, president of Mission Jay Bhim, said, “Indian society would never get liberated from casteism and those from lower castes are relentlessly being subjected to atrocities. These 900 people embraced Buddhism to ensure that their children don’t suffer the same fate as their parents.”
Chauhan claimed many more people wanted to embrace Buddhism at this event but it took time for the district collecctors to clear their conversion applications.
“We are planning to organize a function in Surat around October 20 in which the about 2,000 people from the district and Vyara will embrace Buddhism,” he said.
Jesing Jogadiya, a police sub-inspector in Porbandar who was among 900 people, said “We are not allowed to enter temples at many places and not allowed to keep moustaches. If Dalits get government jobs, they are either pounded with more work or harassed by the people of upper caste.”
Jogadiya provides legal advice to those who want to embrace Buddhism.
According to an estimate, there are 50,000 people in Gujarat who Buddhism and various organizations are targeting to add one lakh people next one year. Thereafter, they will demand a special commission, a minority status and a personal law on the lines of other minorities in India.