no-longer-a-slumdog
no-longer-a-slumdog
no-longer-a-slumdog
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winds of change<br />
These new Dalit leaders realized that the only way for them<br />
to escape the oppression they were under was to quit the Hindu<br />
religion and its caste system. They sought to embrace faiths that<br />
gave them dignity and value and brought hope to their children.<br />
They wanted a religion that saw all human beings as equals.<br />
The turning point came on November 4, 2001. On that<br />
day, tens of thousands of Dalits gathered in Delhi for a historymaking<br />
meeting in which they publicly declared their desire to<br />
“quit Hinduism” and follow faiths of their own choosing. I was<br />
humbled to be invited to speak as one of the few representatives<br />
of the Church. The night spent in anticipation prior to the rally<br />
is one I will never forget.<br />
The streets were packed, though thousands were prevented from<br />
coming because of the upper-caste opposition. These people stopped<br />
Many Dalit leaders recognize that in order to break the bonds of caste, children will need<br />
more than just a good education; they will have to embrace a religion that views all humans<br />
as equals.<br />
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