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
May 14,2020

Bengaluru, May 14: Michael Madhu was one of the popular actors in Sandalwood. He was widely known for portraying comedy roles. The news of his demise has come as a shock to all the members in the Kannada film industry and also his fans. Michael Madhu died on May 13 after suffering from a heart attack. As per a report in Zoom, the actor was rushed to the KIMS Hospital in Bengaluru after he suddenly collapsed at his home.

Michael Madhu, in his career spanning of almost two decades, has acted in more than 300 films. Some of his notable works include Bhajarangi, Shhh! and Ashwamedha. Besides being an impeccable actor, especially his perfect comic timings, Michael was also passionate about dancing and was huge fan of Michael Jackson. This was one of the major reasons why he added Michael to his name. He had entered the film industry with an aim to become a popular choreographer, but destiny had something else in store for him. Michael Madhu is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Fans of Michael Madhu have been sharing condolences on social media ever since the news of his death hit the internet. As per a report in media, the actor’s last rites will take place today.

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News Network
February 6,2020

New Delhi, Feb 6: BJP MP Tejaswi Surya said on Wednesday that the majority community has to remain vigilant or Mughal rule will return to the country, as he slammed the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh.

He was participating in the debate on Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in Lok Sabha.

Referring to the ongoing protest at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said, "Unless majority community remains vigilant, the days of Mughal Raj may not be far away."

Surya also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for resolving several critical issues which had been pending for several decades.

The CAA, he said, was aimed at resolving the issues emanating from Partition and added, "The new India cannot to built without healing the wounds of the past."

He said that the CAA was about giving citizenship to persecuted minorities in Pakistan, Bangaladesh and Afghanistan and not for taking away anyone's citizenship.

Under the leadership of Modi, Surya said, several issues of the past have seen closure. These include abrogation of Article 370, construction of Ram temple, Bodo problems and abolition of Triple Talaq.

K Sudhakaran (Cong) said that a time when the economy was going through its worst phase and unemployment was high, the President in his speech talked about making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024.

On the comments of the government functionaries that fundamentals of the economy are strong, he said the same expression was used by the then US President George Bush, days before the collapse of the America's iconic investment banker Lehman Brothers.

Not only that, Sudhakaran said even before the Great Depression, the then US President used to say that fundamentals of their economy were strong.

Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal) demanded that the government set up All India Judicial Services Commission to ensure representation of the backward community in the judiciary.

Khagen Murmu (BJP) regretted that West Bengal government was not implementing the welfare schemes of the Centre in the state.

Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF) said that people of all communities have fought for freedom of the country and it would be incorrect to declare everyone opposing the government's policies as 'gaddar' (traitor).

He said that the government should talk to people protesting against the CAA at Shaheen Bagh and other places, and explain the provisions to them.

Shrirang Appa Barne (Shiv Sena) demanded that the ruling party fulfil all promises it had made to the people of the country.

He regretted that although the government promised to double the income of farmers by 2022, farmers were still committing suicide.

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News Network
May 2,2020

Bengaluru, May 2: Former chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah have urged the state government to arrange free-transport facilities to those stranded labourers and their family members to return their native places.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the former chief minister criticised the State Government for having decided to collect bur fare from them, ''three-times more than the regular fare''.

Stating that the migrant labourers, who had been stranded ever since lockdown had been clamped in the entire country are not in a position to pay for their travel, Siddaramaiah urged the state government to treat them with human face.

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