On Dalit conversions
Jaishree says on Navya Shastra that 50 percent of Tamil Nadu Dalits have converted to Christianity, though official census figures do not reflect that. Personally, if I were marginalized by the entire mass of Indian society, I might consider doing the same. At Navya Shastra, we speak against the still prevalent casteism that mars, and occasionally destroys, the religious lives of Dalits. Personally, I also support Ambedkarite Buddhism, which combines a faith of social protest with an enlightened rationalism. Ambedkarite Buddhists have also added meditative practices to their spiritual heritage, and are in the midst of creating not only a literary tradition but also a popular culture.
