'Won't worship Hindu gods': AAP minister attends mass conversion event in Delhi, BJP hits back

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister, Rajendra Pal Gautam, recently attended a mass conversion gathering where people allegedly took a pledge to “not worship Hindu gods and goddesses.”

Over 10,000 people on Wednesday gathered at Ambedkar Bhavan in the national capital to take part in the initiation to convert to Buddhism on October 5.

In a video from the event that went viral, the AAP minister and others can be seen taking an oath and saying, "I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, nor shall I worship them. I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna, who are believed to be the incarnation of God, nor shall I worship them.”

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Rajendra Pal took to Twitter and wrote, “Let's call the mission towards Buddha, Jai Bhim. Today, under the aegis of "Mission Jai Bhim" on Ashoka Vijayadashami, more than 10,000 intellectuals took a pledge to make a caste and untouchable-free India.”

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, ! pic.twitter.com/sKtxzVRYJt — Rajendra Pal Gautam (@AdvRajendraPal) October 5, 2022

BJP HITS BACK

After the video of the event went viral on social media, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back and called it a “breaking India” project.

Sharing a video on Twitter, BJP’s Amit Malviya said, “Arvind Kejriwal’s minister Rajendra Pal executing the “Breaking India” project. Make no mistake, Kejriwal is the prime sponsor of this Hindu hate propaganda.”

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Arvind Kejriwal’s minister Rajendra Pal executing the “Breaking India” project. Make no mistake, Kejriwal is the prime sponsor of this Hindu hate propaganda pic.twitter.com/SZNBE2TJNC — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 7, 2022

“This is an insult to Hinduism and Buddhism. AAP ministers are attempting to incite riots. The minister should immediately be removed from the party. We're submitting a complaint against him,” BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said in a press conference.

'HAVE FAITH IN BUDDHISM'

Following the furore over the oath during the event, AAP's minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said, "BJP is anti-national. I've faith in Buddhism. Why does anyone have trouble with it? Let them complain. The Constitution gives us the freedom to follow any religion. The BJP is afraid of AAP. They can only lodge fake cases against us."