Neharika, The topic is "forced or strongly induced conversions". "DS" has referred to the author Tony D'Souza's account of Portughese behaviour in the 16, 17 and 18 centuries in Goa. They brought strong African slaves to round up entire Hindu villages, then they would rub into the mouths of Hindu men and women, a freshly killed pig's meat. Then kept them imprisoned, without food or water until they converted to Roman Catholicism. Your point is: If there is no discrimination then there would be no conversion. Fine. But did you know that Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam are still discriminated on "caste" grounds? Did you know that in Pakistani society, very muslim, there are Dalits? So, conversion does not necessarily enhance the life of the Dalits. On the contrary, in Hindu society, the reform process has proceeded so much that in some areas, the Dalits are politically so powerful, they are able to "discriminate" against other castes. You have to visit rural areas of India to see for yourself what I mean.
