20,000 untouchables convert to Buddhism

(4 Nov 2001)

1. Wide shot crowd going into building where the conversion ceremony took place, policemen passing
2. Mid shot crowd
3. Man chanting from the podium, saying Buddhism treats everyone equally
4. Mid shot Buddhist monks
5. Mid shot Buddhist monk sitting behind Buddha statue
6. Wide shot chief organizer Ram Raj at ceremony
7. Mid shot Raj lighting candles
8. Mid shot garland being put around statue of low-caste leader B.R.Ambedkar who had also embraced Buddhism
9. Close shot monks chanting
10. Raj chanting at conversion ceremony
11. Wide shot crowd chanting
12. Mid shot people
13. Close shot man chanting with folded hands
14. Mid shot people at ceremony
15. Wide shot podium, Raj chanting
16. Mid shot monks on podium
17. Wide shot cameras
18. Mid shot Raj taking Buddhist vows ,saying the vow is like this -not to recognise Rama and Krishna as Gods, not to worship them
19. Mid shot monks
20. Close shot Raj taking vows
21. Wide shot Raj taking vows
22. Wide shot crowd
23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ram Raj, Chief Organiser:
"More than a million people had participated, but they have not been allowed to come to this place."
24. Pan over crowd clapping, cheering
25. Wide shot crowd
26.SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Vox Pop:
"We believe that all the parties are run by the upper caste Brahmins, they only believe in the Hindu culture, they are capitalists. This is for the first time that such a large rally of lower caste people has been organised. It is therefore an insult for the poor lower caste people to be stopped from coming. That is why we have decided to rebel against this system and embrace Buddhism."
27. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Vox Pop
"People's mindset will change when we all get united. Who are we? We are Buddhists. We have done away with our caste, we have been divided by the caste system."
28. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Vox Pop
"The biggest problem for the lower caste people is education and employment. We get no respect anywhere, we have not been given our rights. Now we are ready to fight our battle."
29. Tilt up from vendor selling literature to statue of low caste leader Ambedkar
30. Mid shot posters of Buddha and Ambedkar
31. Close shot Ambedkar statue
32. Wide shot vendor
33. Various of security

STORYLINE:

Thousands of low-caste Hindus on Sunday converted to Buddhism in New Delhi, shaking off centuries-old social shackles that condemn them to lives marked by discrimination.

Facing a bronze idol of Buddha flanked by monks in saffron-colored robes, new converts chanted religious hymns and lighted candles during a simple ceremony held in an open field in the Indian capital.

The mass ceremony was marred by police allegedly blocking thousands others from reaching the venue in New Delhi.

The organisers alleged that police blocked more than 80 percent of one million people expected in the capital by stopping their buses in neighbouring states.

Nearly one-fourth of India's more than one billion people are low-caste Hindus or "dalits."

Also known as untouchables, they occupy the lowest rank in the caste system that is dominated by the once-priestly class of Brahmins.












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