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7-Month tour to clean up casteism
HT Correspondent STARTING TOMORROW, the nation will witness a seven-month countrywide movement aimed at the emancipation of the downtrodden and trampled lower caste factions in our society. Spearheaded by Indian Revenue Service officer and national chairman of the All India Confederation of Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Organisations, Ram Raj, the movement will witness a nine-state tour by a Dhamma vahan (chariot). The first leg will kick off in the capital tomorrow morning. The highlight of the movement lies in its culmination on October 14 when an estimated 10 lakh people will be "converted" to Buddhism, to reinforce what is being described as the first genuine effort to bring about a social revolution in the country and wipe clean the stain of casteism. Announcing the decision at a press conference, Ram Raj said: "Ours is not a communal rally. That is why we deliberately decided not to call it a Rath Yatra." |