Mumbai, Oct. 14: The mass conversion rally in Nagpur, where a million Dalits were to change their religion today, turned out to be a damp squib with only 600 of them in attendance.

The VIPs, too, decided to give the event a miss. The only people who had turned up in strength were reporters from across the world.

Titled World Freedom of Conscience and Freedom of Religion Day, the rally was planned to coincide with the 50th anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism.

V.P. Singh and Mayavati were on the guest list, but there was no sign of the two, although Mayavati was in the city to address a BSP meeting.