New Delhi: Close on the heels of “rumours” of some Dalit families planning to embrace Islam after they were allegedly denied entry into a Tamil Nadu temple, BJP MP Udit Raj on Saturday claimed the Hindu religion is in “danger” not because of conversion but because of its “so-called protectors”.
The Dalit leader raised apprehensions over “survival of Hindu religion” in the country, and said it’s “in danger” not because of conversion of Dalits into other religions but because of its “so-called protectors”. There were reports recently that following denial of permission to the Dalits by upper caste Hindus to conduct rituals at the ancient Badrakaliyamman temple at Nagapattinam, during the Tamil month of Adi, some Dalits had planned to embrace Islam.
The Nagapattinam district administration had later denied the report. Raj said if the doors of temples are closed for Dalits then they would go to Church, Mosque, and “we would not be responsible for that”.
“…and then those people (the custodian of Hindu religion) have problems with Dalits entering Church or Mosque. They say Hindu religion is in danger. It is because of them only and not because of us (Dalits),” Raj, who is national chairman of All-India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, said.
He claimed that in countries like Burma, Thailand, Iran, Phillipines, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, the Hindu population has decreased significantly, and “it’s difficult for Hindu religion to survive in India also and we will not be responsible for that.” He claimed the biggest temple of Hindus is in Cambodia today but there is not a single Hindu there.
Addressing the two-day national convention of the body, he said there is no religion in the world where people attack their “own people (from same religion) in the name of the same religion”.Asked about the recent atrocities on Dalits, he said, “Wherever such situations occur, it should be condemned and everyone should come forward to fight against it.”I am suprised…Why only Dalits come forward whenever atrocities happen against them?” he asked.He also said that whosoever “may be in power, attacks on Dalits have been going on and the only difference is in quantity”.
He also said there is no relation between the recentincidents and the timing of the holding the conference. He advocated for passing of Constitutional Amendment for reservation in promotion for SC/ST in the current Session, saying due to “lack” of proper Act for reservation, many courts have given “unsustainable and controversial” judgements on reservations.
He said he has also introduced a private member’s bill in Lok Sabha for reservation in private sector and requested all political parties for their support.”Dalit and tribals must come together and fight to get this bill passed, since it is for their own benefit,” he added.