Ahmedabad DM orders probe into Dalits’ conversion

The Dalits after their conversion to Buddhism at Dholka in Ahmedabad on Thursday. (Parimal Dabhi )

A day after 90 Dalits embraced Buddhism at a programme in Dholka town, Ahmedabad District Magistrate Rajkumar Beniwal Friday ordered an inquiry into the conversion. The Collector has ordered the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) to inquire if there was any violation of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act and submit report within 15 days.

Beniwal said, “We have got reports about the event and based on those reports I have asked the SDM to inquire if they (the organisers and the converts) had taken any permission. In the next 15 days, the SDM will submit the report.” Beniwal added, “Under the Conversion Act (Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act), it is necessary to take prior permission (before converting from one faith to another).”

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Driven by the ideals of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and unhappy with the “inequality” prevailing in Hinduism, 90 Dalits from different parts of Gujarat converted to Buddhism at the programme organised by the Gujarat Buddhist Academy.