Rohith Vemula's mother, brother say goodbye to Hinduism; embrace new faith

April 14, 2016

Mumbai, Apr 14: Mother and brother of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide at Hyderabad Central University in January sparking strong protests across the country, today embraced Buddhism on the occasion of Dr B R Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary.

VemulaRohith's mother Radhika and brother Naga Chaitanya Vemula, also known as Raja Vemula, were given 'deeksha' at a function in Dadar here in the presence of Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar.

Ambedkar, Dalit icon and architect of the Indian Constitution, coverted to Buddhism at a grand ceremony in Nagpur in 1956 as he was strongly opposed to the caste system in Hindusim. At the venue of the deeksha ceremony, the mother-son duo paid tributes to Dr Ambedkar and bowed before his portrait.

Raja Vemula said, "My brother Rohith was a Buddhist at heart although he did not convert. He took his own life as he was discriminated because he was a Dalit. We performed his last rites according to Buddhist traditions, honouring his love for Buddhism."

"Rohith used to talk of Buddhism a lot. He had also written a letter to the Vice Chancellor about how Dalits are discriminated against on the campus. My mother feels that we should honour Rohith by embracing Buddhism," he said.

"We are against the caste system in Hinduism and have, therefore, decided to embrace Buddhism which does not have such an oppressive system of castes," Rohith's brother said.

Prakash Ambedkar said Buddhist monks gave 'deeksha' to Rohith's mother and brother at a function on the sidelines of a programme marking the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar.

"The function to covert the duo to Buddhism was organised after Radhika Vemula approached me and conveyed their wish to embrace Buddhism when I visited Hyderabad recently," he said.

Raja and Radhika Vemula, along with Rohith's childhood friend Riyaz Shaikh and Hyderabad university student Charbad Raju, had left for Mumbai from Hyderabad yesterday. Rohith's elder sister, who is married, has not converted to Buddhism.

Rohith Vemula, 27, committed suicide on January 17 in a hostel room in Hyderabad Central University where he was a PhD scholar after he and four others were suspended from the hostel last year and restrictions were put on their movement by the university administration as part of disciplinary action for allegedly assaulting ABVP leader N Susheel Kumar.

Comments

Dean
 - 
Thursday, 14 Apr 2016

We welcome Dalits to convert to Islam for peaceful dignified life. In sha Allah

Ahmed
 - 
Thursday, 14 Apr 2016

Islaam is the only religion which last long.So learn Islam.

Dean
 - 
Thursday, 14 Apr 2016

Majority of Muslims converted to Islam in India are from Buddism.

HUMANS PONDER
 - 
Thursday, 14 Apr 2016

ALLAH says in QURAN 49:13
O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you with God is the MOST PIOUS. Truly God is all knowing, All aware.

Prophet of ALLAH (Mohammad pbuh) said : Lend me an attentive ear.
All mankind is from Adam & Eve, An Arab has NO Superiority over a Non Arab NOR a Non Arab has any superiority over An Arab, also a WHITE has No superiority over a Black, Nor a Black has any superiority over a White EXCEPT BY PIETY and GOOD ACTION.
Remember ONE DAY U will appear before ALLAH and answer YOUR DEEDS. So beware, Do not stray from the path of RIGHTEOUSNESS after Im Gone.

A very beautiful teaching which kills the RACISM from the SOCIETY...
THANK YOU ALLAH for making me A MUSLIM

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News Network
March 7,2020

Kalaburagi, Mar 7: Congress and JDS MLAs are eagerly waiting to join BJP, said former minister and chairman of Nijasharana Ambigara Choudaiah Abhivradhi Nigama, Baburao Chinchansur, here on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference here, Baburao said if the BJP top brass gives a green signal to include MLAs of other parties, both Congress and JDS would be almost empty. Many leaders, including D K Shivakumar and G Parameshwara, won’t support Siddaramaiah and the former CM will have to find his own way in the coming days, he predicted. He said Congress will not be coming to power in Karnataka for the next 20 years, he said.

Chinchansur thanked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for providing Rs 50 crore for Nijasharana Ambigara Choudaiah Abhivrudhi Nigama in the budget. He also said that a delegation will be taken to New Delhi under the leadership of the CM, after the budget session, to pressure the Union government to include Koli community in ST category.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 2,2020

Mangaluru, JuJ 2: Dr Shivaram Karanth Biological Park at Pilikula, which was recently reopened after covid-19 lockdown, will again be shut from July 4 to 31. 

“The authorities have decided to close the park for visitors from July 4 to July 31 due to the rapid increase of the spread of coronavirus in Dakshina Kannada,” said, Jayaprakash Bhandary, director of the Park.

Mr Bhandary said that after the reopening of the Park, the number of visitors has drastically decreased due to corona scare. 

“There are around 100 staff and over 30 caretakers at the zoo. After closing the zoo, only essential staff will come to the zoo take care of the animals. We are planning to reopen it for visitors on August 1,” he said.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mar 5: The government on Thursday asserted that there is no shortage of raw ingredients or medicines in the country as it has taken various initiatives to tackle the challenge posed by the coronavirus outbreak.

All initiatives are also being taken to ensure that there is no impact of the disease in India, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers D V Sadananda Gowda said.

"There is no shortage of any APIs in the country. We have sufficient APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) and medicines in the country," he said.

Gowda was addressing the 5th international exhibition and conference on the pharmaceutical and medical industry organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Gujarat government and industry chamber Ficci here.

For another three months there is no shortage for undertaking production in the pharma sector, he added.

"Our government has taken all initiatives to ensure that as far as our country is concerned the coronavirus should be stopped, and there is no hazard as far as this issue is concerned," Gowda reiterated.

Coronavirus is a challenge and "we should make all efforts that need to be taken..., " he added.

On Tuesday, India, the world's largest maker of generic drugs, restricted the export of common medicines such as paracetamol and 25 other pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs made from them, as it looks to prevent shortages amid concerns of the coronavirus outbreak turning into a pandemic.

Besides over-the-counter painkiller and fever reducer paracetamol, drugs restricted for exports included common antibiotics metronidazole, and those used to treat bacterial and other infections as well as Vitamin B1 and B12 ingredients.

A notification by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had said the export of 26 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations would require licence.

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