Amid row over mass conversion, AAP Minister Gautam apologises

BJP lashes out at the Delhi Minister and the AAP, approaches the police with a complaint against him and demands his removal from the Cabinet

Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam found himself in the middle of a political storm after visuals of an alleged “mass conversion” to Buddhism, involving around 10,000 people (as per Mr. Gautam’s claim) seemingly boycotting Hinduism and Hindu deities at an event organised by a social organisation founded by him, emerged here on Friday.

Held at the Dr. Ambedkar Bhavan, Rani Jhansi Road, on the occasion of Ashoka Vijaydashmi — which in the Buddhist tradition is commemorated as the day that Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism — the event was organised by Mr. Gautam’s ‘Mission Jai Bheem’ on Wednesday.

Soon after the visuals of the event went viral, the BJP lashed out at the Delhi Minister and the AAP, approaching the police with a complaint against him and demanding his removal from the Cabinet. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta alleged that Hinduism and Hindu deities were deliberately insulted at the event as part of a “well-thought conspiracy”, while Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri accused Mr. Gautam of “openly insulting Hinduism in public”.

Responding to these charges, Mr. Gautam said he was “pained at the propaganda” being spread by the BJP against him and apologised for hurting “anyone's religious sentiments”.

"I am a deeply religious person and respect all Gods and Goddesses equally. I cannot even dream of disrespecting them through actions or words. I am pained at the rumours being spread by the BJP about me and I apologise with folded hands if I have hurt anyone's religious sentiments,” Mr. Gautam said on Friday.

According to AAP sources, the programme, which is an annual event, was aimed at commemorating the day that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar made 22 vows, which included denouncing Hinduism and its deities, and entered the fold of Buddhism along with lakhs of Dalits in Maharashtra’s Nagpur in October 1956.

These vows, according to AAP sources, were repeated on Wednesday in Mr. Gautam’s presence “like they have been every year”. But the visuals of the ceremony were allegedly “doctored” to include “only vows related to the denouncement” of Hinduism and its deities in order to trigger a row.