Buddha Purnima Jayanti Gulbarga

Several Dalits to embrace Buddhism tomorrow

Special Correspondent

It will mark 54th anniversary of a similar act by Ambedkar

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Several monks will grace the occasion

‘Following the tenets of Buddhism is essential'

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GULBARGA: A large number of Dalits will embrace Buddhism here on Thursday to mark the 54th anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar embracing Buddhism at Nagpur in Maharashtra along with his followers.

Veteran Dalit leader Shivaram Moga told presspersons here on Tuesday that the International Bouddha Yuva Sanghatane and the Buddhist Society of India would jointly organise the fifth mass ‘Buddha Dhamma Deeksha' programme at the MSK Mill Grounds here on Thursday.

Mr. Moga said that October 14 was an important date in the annals of India as it was on this day that Ambedkar had embraced Buddhism in protest against the oppressive caste system that prevailed in the country.

Buddhism gave a new life to those who embraced it at the behest of Ambedkar. “This was also the day on which Buddhism was revived in the country in which it was born,” he said.

Achievement

The Buddhist Society of India and the International Bouddha Yuva Sanghatane have been celebrating the anniversary of Ambedkar embracing Buddhism in Gulbarga for four years. “So far, thousands of Dalits and oppressed sections of society have embraced Buddhism,” he said.

Adopt philosophy

Admitting that mere embracing of Buddhism would not bring about any qualitative change in the life of Dalits, he said that it was essential to adopt the philosophy and follow its tenets. Led by Bhante Bodhidhamma, founder president of the International Bouddha Sanghatane, a team of Buddhist monks from across the country will help the Dalits in the conversion process.

Inauguration

The programme will be inaugurated by Union Labour and Employment Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge. Dalit leaders, including Mogali Ganesh, D.S. Veeraiah, Mavalli Shankar and Vittal Doddamani, will participate, Mr. Mogasaid.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/13/stories/2010101360540300.htm

Dalit leader murdered in Tilak Nagar

he state president of the Dalit Hindulaya Kriya Samithi was stabbed to death in Gulbarga Colony in Tilak Nagar at about 8.30 pm last night. S Manjunath (pictured), left home at about 7.30 pm after receiving a call to meet a friend. However, barely an hour later his body was found on the roadside a few metres from his home. 

Manjunath sustained a single stab injury to the upper left thigh, which has severed a major artery and led to death by profuse bleeding. Residents of Gulbarga Colony rushed him to NIMHANS by 9 pm, where he was declared dead. 

Manjunath's friends and family are clueless as to why anybody would want to harm him. Bodhiappa, Manjunath's uncle, said, "I don't know why anyone would want to take his life. He was a good man and did a lot to help people." 

Meanwhile, members of Manjunath's family have filed a complaint at Tilak Nagar police station. Harsha P S, DCP (South East), said, "We're awaiting the post-mortem report and cannot definitively comment until then. Since we've established that he had no real enemies, we are assuming that it is a case of murder due to a personal matter." Manjunath's body was taken to Victoria Hospital at about 2 am  for autopsy.