By Express News Service

CUDDALORE: Seven months after 47 Dalit medical practitioners converted to Buddhism, four more joined the religion here on Sunday. In all, 16 Dalits embraced Buddhism in the presence of monks at an event to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar.

For Dr M V Thambiah, a Dalit who works at the Cuddalore Government Hospital, the last straw was patients wary of going back to him for consultation after learning about his caste. He chose to describe Sunday’s event as reversion to his original religion instead of conversion, citing literature to contend that most Tamils had their roots in Buddhism.

“Dr B R Ambedkar said in order to escape untouchability and caste atrocities, we should embrace Buddhism. Even newspapers carry headlines saying ‘Caste Hindus attack Dalits’, which means we are not Hindus. Our forefathers were Buddhists for ages,” claimed Dr Thambiah.

Apart from Dr Thambiah, Dr K Renugadevi, who runs a private clinic in Cuddalore, Dr M Anandhi, functioning in Villupuram and Dr R Palanivel, who works at the Vriddhachalam GH, embraced Buddhism.

“Monks from the Buddhist Sangam accepted our request to grace the event and distribute certificates,” Dr Thambiah said.

As for Dr Renugadevi, she personally did not face any discrimination in her professional life. Yet she decided to convert after reading Ambedkar deeply. “I now feel that it is the solution for untouchability issues,” she said with conviction.

All the converts hoped it would put an end to discrimination they have been facing since birth. The four doctors said they would officially make the change in their community certificates soon through the gazette notification.

The event was organised by the Makkal Marumalarchi Thadam, a body that consists of doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs. The conversion was preceded by a seminar on ‘Modern Day Untouchability’, ‘Origin of Untouchability’, ‘Path to Salvation’ and Ambedkar’s ‘Solution for Untouchability’.

Speaker after speaker dwelt on the Buddhist philosophy, practices and the rights of minorities. “Those who have converted to Buddhism now must read The Buddha and His Dhamma, written by Ambedkar daily. It is like the Bible and Quran for us,” they emphasised.