AAP's minister Rajendra Pal Gautam resigns after 'conversion' event row

The Delhi Social Welfare Minister`s resignation came after facing criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused the ruling government in the state of hurting religious sentiments and demanded that the party remove the legislator from his position.

Image Credit: ANI; Representational Image

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who was seen taking an oath denouncing several Hindu gods at an event, resigned from the council of ministers on Sunday. Gautam converted to Buddhism in a religious conversion event in which he allegedly denounced Hindu deities. Taking to Twitter, Gautam announced his resignation and said, "Today I have been freed from many shackles, and been born again. Now I will continue to fight for rights and atrocities on the society more firmly without any restrictions."He tendered his resignation in a letter typed on his letterhead. However, the letter was not addressed to anyone in particular. The AAP leader in his letter wrote that the BJP has been targeting several sections of society for political gains, and he cannot be a mute spectator to that. However, he does not want his actions to cause any inconvenience to party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal."I am Rajendra Pal Gautam, a true patriot and follower of Ambedkar. 

AAP Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam who was spotted participating at an event, where people took an oath boycotting several Hindu Gods, resigns

(File picture of minister) pic.twitter.com/aezloNyIN6

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2022

For the last few years, I am constantly seeing that the honour of the sisters and daughters of my society is being looted and they are killed. In some places, there are killings for honour, and in other places on entering the temple and touching the idol. They are being beaten to death with humiliation. Even children are being brutally murdered for touching a pot of water. The mare is taken out of the procession. My heart is pierced every day by incidents of such caste discrimination," he wrote in a letter.

 "In my capacity, I attended the Buddhist Dhamma initiation ceremony organized by Mission Jai Bhim and Buddhist Society of India on October 5, 2022, at Ambedkar Bhawan, Rani Jhansi Road on the occasion of Ashoka Vijayadashami, being a member of the society. It had no connection with the Aam Aadmi Party and I being a council of ministers," he said. The AAP leader said that the 22 vows of Babasaheb were repeated by Babasaheb`s great-grandson Raj Ratna Ambedkar, which he repeated along with more than 10,000 people.

"After that, I see that BJP is targeting our leader Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party. It is sad for me. Arvind Kejriwal Ji has given me a lot of respect and cooperation, for which I will always be grateful to him. I sincerely appreciate the steps taken by the party for education, health, electricity, water, employment, women and child safety and social welfare to strengthen India. Babasaheb Ambedkar`s dreams will come true only by following this path," he added.

Further accusing BJP of doing politics on Babasaheb`s pledges, the AAP leader said, "The 22 pledges given by Babasaheb were also printed by former BJP Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot in the book `Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol-17`. These pledges are repeated by crores of people at thousands of places organized in every corner of the country. But the BJP has objections to these 22 pledges given by Babasaheb. BJP is using this to do dirty politics and being hurt by it, I am tendering my resignation," he said.

Gautam further said that he does not want his leader Arvind Kejriwal and his party to suffer any kind of damage because of him."As a true soldier of the party, I will live my life by the constitutional values shown by Buddha and Saheb. I will fight for the rights of my sisters and daughters and the people of the society with great gusto. Some people of the Manuwadi mindset are threatening to harm my life and property on social media and phone and I am not afraid. I will fight for the rights and rights of my society with great strength and strength. If I have to give myself in this fight for the rights of society, I will not let this fight stop," he added.

He further said that he attended the Buddhist Dhamma initiation ceremony but it has nothing to do with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Speaking to ANI, Gautam said that he has submitted his resignation to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who has given him a lot of respect." Such issue has been created out of oaths that are repeated by several crore people of the country. BJP has made it an issue, are trying to insult me and my party," he said.

The Delhi Social Welfare Minister`s resignation comes after facing criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the ruling government in the state of hurting religious sentiments and demanded that the party remove the legislator from his position. Earlier on Wednesday, the AAP minister had attended Ashoka Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Ambedkar Bhawan in Jhandewalan, where 10,000 people were supposed to embrace Buddhism.

A video of the event went viral in which a monk, sharing the dais with Gautam, administering an oath to the gathered Hindus: "I will have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, nor will I worship them as God. I will have no faith in Rama or Krishna, nor will I worship them. I will have no faith in Gauri, Ganapati and other Hindu Gods, nor will I worship them."