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 4,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 4: Fifteen Iranian fishermen, arrested for illegally entering Indian waters, were shifted from Mangaluru to Central Prison Bengaluru at Parappana Agrahara recently.

 On October 21, coast guard officials intercepted two fishing vessels near Gayathri island, about 168 nautical miles off Mangaluru Coast and took into custody 15 crew members after they failed to produce necessary documents.

While one of the boats capsized after developing a technical snag, the other boat was brought to Mangalore Port.

On the basis of a written complaint lodged by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Sharma, Karnataka State Coastal Security Police (KSCP) station in Mangaluru filed case against the 15 Iranian fishermen under Maritime Zone of Indian Act 1981.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
May 22,2020

Newsroom, May 22: Countless netizens including Indians have hailed the action taken by Jazan University of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against a high-ranking Indian expatriate who had posted called Indian Muslims as radicals.  

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook flooded with appreciation after the University announced on Twitter that the professor, who had posted objectionable messsages, had been fired. The university, however, did not disclose the name of the professor. 

On its Twitter account, Jazan University wrote, “Based on what was monitored by the university about the publication of a contracted faculty member for offensive posts and tweets, his registration has already been folded. #JazanUniversity affirms that it resolutely addresses any perverted or extremist ideas that affect the constants or violate the directions of good leadership.”

After the university’s announcement, many on Twitter posted screenshots of the communal tweets claiming that the professor is Neeraj Bedi and made it clear that the dismissed professor is an Indian.

Bedi has been working as full time Professor in Faculty of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in Jazan University for years.

In his Twitter account, which does not currently exist, he was praising PM Modi and spewing poison against Islam and holding Muslims responsible for the spread of Coronavirus. It is believed that the account was deleted after the protests became severe.

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News Network
May 5,2020

Bengaluru, May 5: Life is limping back to a new normalcy in most parts of Karnataka with easing of Covid-19 induced restrictions yesterday as the State headed into the third phase of lockdown started since March 24.

According to the guidelines issued by the Centre, industrial activities, construction works, essential, non-essential shops, delivery of essential goods through e- commerce, courier and postal services, banking and agriculture activities, plying of four-wheelers and two-wheelers and inter-state movement of goods vehicles is permitted in all the zones, whereas buses are allowed to ply only in green and orange zone districts.

This apart, sale of liquor was also allowed at the designated shops. Police said vehicular movement is allowed only from 7am to 7pm for ordinary citizens.

Clarifying about the movement of people, Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao tweeted, "From Monday you don't need a pass to move in Bengaluru between 7am and 7pm. After 7 pm and up to 7am the following morning, even if you have a pass you are not allowed to move except medical and essential service. Checkpoints will remain and your ID may be asked. Please be responsible." After the restrictions were lifted, heavy vehicular movement was witnessed in parts of Bengaluru leading to traffic jam in some areas.

Chikpet, which is the main trade area in Bengaluru, saw some activities.

With restrictions on public transport continuing, this unusually crowded place had very less footfall. "Movement of public is limited due to ban on public transport, such as city buses and Metro Rail.

"The trade activities are taking place between retailers," trade activist and joint secretary of Jain International Trade Organisation Sajjanraj Mehta said .

Select liquor shops in the city and other parts of the state pulled up shutters after being closed for about six weeks due to the lockdown with tipplers thronging them in huge numbers at many places.

Some traders in the city complained that they received notices regarding the Tax Deduction at Source for the month of April "thought here were no trading activities."

Meanwhile, Chief minister B S Yediyurappa announced on Monday that free bus service for migrant labourers, which is operating smoothly, has been extended till Thursday.

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