Activists to burn copies of anti-conversion bills in Nagpur

Nagpur, Oct 13 (UNI) Activists of the All India Christian Council (AICC) and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations (AICSO) today threatened to burn copies of the anti-conversion laws passed by various states in the country, at a rally to be held here tomorrow, to mark the golden jubilee of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's conversion to Buddism.

Addressing a joint press conference here, AICC president Joseph D'Souza and AICSO chairman Udit Raj said copies of the bills would be burnt in protest against what they termed as an attempt by the state to repress the constitutional right of an individual to choose his or her own religion.

Mr Raj said people would convert to Buddhism and Christianity during tomorrow's rally at the historic Kasturchand Park here.

Representatives from the Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Christian and Muslim communities would bear witness, he added.

The golden jubilee of Dr Ambedkar's conversion will be celebrated tomorrow because it was on October 14, 1956, that the architect of India's constitution, took the historic step in Nagpur, Mr Raj pointed out. (Traditionally, the anniversary is observed on Dussera because October 14, 1956, had then coincided with the festival.) Mr D'Souza said Dalits were converting to Christianity and Buddhism not because they were getting anything in return, but because they wanted freedom from discrimination. People would exercise their constitutional right to choose their religion at tomorrow's rally, he asserted.

Nancy Ricks from the Colorado-based Dalit Freedom Network said representatives of human rights organisations and the media from across the globe are in Nagpur to witness tomorrow's rally.

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