PTI Dec 30, 2014, 07.59PM IST

(An organisation of Other)

MUMBAI: An organisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Maharashtra will conduct a mass conversion of five lakh OBCs to Buddhism in 2016.

"We will conduct the mass conversion at Nagpur in October 2016," Satyashodhak OBC Parishad activist Hanumant Upare told here today.

"We had declared our intention in 2011 at Parli Vaijnath in Beed district. We were originally Buddhists. This is the real ghar vapsi," Upare said.

So far, about 7,000 OBC people in Maharashtra have registered for the "ghar vapsi" campaign, he said.

"While finding out about our roots, we came to know that we are 'nagvanshi'. It proves that OBCs were originally Buddhists. So we have decided to return to our home. This is not conversion. This is the real ghar vapsi," he said.

The outfit began its mission to reach out to OBCs by personally visiting homes of those desired to return to Buddhism, besides holding small rallies, group discussions and conclaves, he said.

"We were forced into Hinduism in the 19th century, but the caste system always considered us 'shudras'. The present social set up does not reward us as it should. The only way is to break out of the system," he said.

In 2015, the OBC outfit's activists plan to reach out to every tehsil of Maharashtra with their message and a statewide conference would also be called to push the agenda, he said.

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Maharashtra OBC outfit to hold mass conversion to Buddhism