Conversion is framed as a betrayal of the nation, and Dalits who convert are labelled as traitors, tools of foreign influence, or anti-Hindu.
According to the 2011 Census, Buddhists account for just 0.7 per cent of India’s population. Of those, nearly 90 per cent are Ambedkarite Dalits, mostly concentrated in Maharashtra. So, why did a movement expected to liberate tens of millions stall?
The answers lie in a complex web of politics, economics, culture, and identity. These can be boiled down to eight points.
Hinduism is remarkably adept at absorbing dissent. Over the decades, it has co-opted Buddha as an avatar of Vishnu, repositioned Ambedkar as a national hero (often stripped of his anti-caste radicalism), and incorporated Dalit deities into its pantheon.
Most foot soldiers of the BJP are from marginalised communities, while the Baniya–Brahmin caste groups play the role of office bearers. Tell me — how many Brahmins demolished Babri with their own hands? How many Brahmins were directly responsible for the killings in the 2002 riots? It was all carried out by foot soldiers like Babu Bajrangi, mostly from OBC backgrounds.