Converting Dalits To Buddhism Is Not A New Phenomenon But Continues To Agitate BJP

Since the former minister of social welfare in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, Rajendra Pal Gautam resigned over an event on October 5 regarding “conversion”, tussle between AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has riled up. On Friday, Gautam led a march in Delhi called Caste Elimination Sankalp yatra, in which over a thousand people gathered to support him. Many of the marchers called it “a demonstration of Buddhist identity”.

On this day in 1956, Dr B.R. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in Nagpur. Ambedkar felt converting into Buddhism was important for Dalit emancipation. Thousands especially from his caste, Mahar, converted into Buddhism after his death. On Friday, Gautam through the march, stressed upon eliminating caste, and called for unity within the community for its betterment. Moreover, Gautam has only resigned as a minister. He is still an AAP MLA.

Several political commentators feel that the October 5 event can be used by BJP to dent AAP’s campaign among upper-caste urban voters in forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. So, “it is 'no brainer' why his resignation was inevitable,” says Brahmapal Singh, member of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Jahangirpuri, Delhi.

Singh, however, is confident that Gautam will eventually join the BSP. “BJP and AAP are the same. They don’t care about the interests of Dalits. He will have to come to BSP.” Though Gautam denied any such possibility as of now, he believes he gets a lot of “respect” in the AAP-led Delhi government. It also shows AAP is fully aware of what Gautam is doing.

Leaders like Kashi Ram, the founder of BSP, did not believe that “conversion” can emancipate Dalits. “Such a move does not make sense to him unless the bulk of the lower castes are prepared to do it.” French political scientist, Christophe Jaffrelot in his book 'Religion, Caste, and Politics in India', quoted Kanshi Ram’s interview of 1996, where he says, “Whatever religion we adopt, it should be in crores, not in lakhs. It may take some time. It may be possible in the 21st century. Mahars have become Buddhists, but they remain as they were.” Therefore, even for subsequent leaders, like Mayawati, “conversion” was never an important thing, but a larger Bahujan identity.

People who accompanied Gautam in the march, proclaimed that they don’t identify with a religion that doesn’t treat them equally and therefore, are ready to convert. Dharmendra Singh, who attended the march says, “assertion of our identity threatens BJP, that is why several leaders and ministers are coming forward to declare us anti-Hindu.”

BJP has been strict on religious conversion, which is also part of its poll strategies. Ahead of Himachal Pradesh election Jairam Thakur-led BJP government passed the amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, which enhanced punishment for forced conversion maximum up to 10 years.

Converting Dalits into Buddhism or any other religion is not a new phenomenon. Several people from Dalit community have embraced Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, and even independent sects like Satnami, Ramnami, over the years. Even Dalit BJP leaders have been involved in such “conversion” events. In 2018, in Pukhrayan village of Kanpur Dehat, 10,000 people embraced Buddhism under former BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule from Bahraich; a telling example of how Dalit leadership sees “conversion”.

However, soon after the October 5 video went viral, several leaders of BJP found it objectionable and expressed their displeasure. Minister of Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju tweeted, “Kejriwal ji why are you allowing such hatred? Our gurus said, there's no difference between Hinduism & Buddhism with roots in the Culture of Ancient India. Modi Ji made Buddhism core part of India’s global approach, & accorded Official status to Buddha Jayanti for the 1st time!” BJP MP Manoj Tiwari demanded that Gautam be sacked.

Responding to this Gautam said BJP ministers also attend such events. “The Central government published writing and speeches of Dr Ambedkar that includes his 22 vows. Every year, people celebrate Buddha Dhamma Diksha on October 14, so we did too, and these vows are engraved on a big stone structure in Nagpur.”

Interestingly, on Saturday, Gautam landed in Nagpur (the city, where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism) to meet Buddhist researchers. This indicates that AAP does not want to lose support that Gautam has garnered among the Dalit community. An AAP leader tells Outlook, “Gautam is a member of the party, and he has all right to practice his religion. He has not hurt anyone's sentiment by following Babasaheb's footsteps.”

After BSP's fall, there is a vacuum in the Dalit leadership. Every political party is now trying to woo Dalits and are devising strategies. Ambedkar is hugely important figure among Dalit community, therefore there's a possibility of future conversions as a new educated class, ready to take leadership, is emerging among Dalits. Even Kanshi Ram, despite his reluctance to use conversion for emancipation, too, believed that there was upward mobility for those who converted to Sikhism. It is why the October 5 conversion event seems to be important for AAP.