Conversion row: Delhi Police summon AAP leader Gautam for questioning

Delhi Police has summoned former minister Rajendra Pal Gautam for questioning at 2 pm today (Tuesday) in connection with his alleged presence at a religious conversion event. The cops went to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s Civil Lines home and asked him to join the probe at Paharganj police station.

The police have reportedly received several written complaints about the programme held at Ambedkar Bhawan in Delhi on October 5. According to the police, certain words uttered publicly at the event miffed many people.

The AAP leader was allegedly heard taking an oath at the event where thousands converted to Buddhism. The words of the oath apparently were: “I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar, nor shall I worship them.”

Also read: SC notice to Centre on plea seeking action against forced religious conversion

Unsurprisingly, Gautam’s oath triggered a political row. The BJP termed his presence at the event “religiously divisive” and accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of being “anti-Hindu.” The saffron party urged Kejriwal to sack him.

“Words repeated every year”

However, Gautam has maintained that it was a “social and religious event.” The vow is a part of 22 pledges written by Dr BR Ambedkar. People take this vow while converting to Buddhism, he said. “These are repeated in these events organized every year since 1956,” he has said in his defence.

He shared a letter on Twitter, saying he attended the event in his personal capacity. It had nothing to do with his party or the ministry. He also said that Kejriwal “did not even know about the event.” He accused the saffron party of doing “dirty politics” by targeting Kejriwal and AAP.

Also read: Explained: Karnataka’s anti-conversion law, and its easy passage

However, he has resigned from the Delhi Cabinet as Social Welfare Minister because of the controversy.

Till Monday, Gautam had denied receiving any notice from the police for questioning. “I received no notice. The police came to question me this evening. I gave them the information they asked for,” he told reporters on Monday.

Gautam, who was the Minister for Social Welfare, SC and ST, Registrar of Co-operative Societies and Gurudwara Elections, said he was resigning as minister as he did not want his leader or AAP to be in trouble because of him.

(With agency inputs)