On Saturday (October 8), BJP leader Kapil Mishra accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of supporting the decision of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam to attend the mass conversion event of Hindus to Buddhism in the National Capital.
Citing sources, Mishra said, “Rajendra Pal Gautam had talked to Kejriwal before going about his way to abuse Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Arvind Kejriwal knew that Gautam would hurl abuses at Hindu deities.”
He further alleged that the mass conversion exercise was a part of AAP’s strategy to win elections in the State of Gujarat. “The original plan was to showcase it to Muslims in Gujarat. But, the video got leaked to social media,” the BJP leader emphasised.
On October 5, AAP MLA (Seemapuri) Rajendra Pal Gautam was spotted at an event where 10,000 Hindus were converted en masse to Buddhism. The controversial event, organised by the Buddhist Society of India, was conducted at the Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Jhandewalan in New Delhi.
Gautam, who serves as the Social Welfare Minister in the Delhi Cabinet took to Twitter to gloat over the mass conversion of Hindus. The event coincided with the Dusshera celebrations during which the Hindu community celebrates the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana.
The AAP leader wrote, “With the support of Mission Jai Bhim”, more than 10,000 intellectuals took a pledge to make a caste-free and untouchable India by converting to the Faith of Gautam Buddha.”
चलो बुद्ध की ओर मिशन जय भीम बुलाता है।
— Rajendra Pal Gautam (@AdvRajendraPal) October 5, 2022
आज “मिशन जय भीम” के तत्वाधान में अशोका विजयदशमी पर डॉ०अंबेडकर भवन रानी झांसी रोड पर 10,000 से ज्यादा बुद्धिजीवियों ने तथागत गौतम बुद्ध के धम्म में घर वापसी कर जाति विहीन व छुआछूत मुक्त भारत बनाने की शपथ ली।
नमो बुद्धाय, जय भीम! pic.twitter.com/sKtxzVRYJt
During the event, AAP Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam was seen delivering a speech wherein he urged Hindus to renounce their Faith and tread the path of Dr Ambedkar.
“If you don’t want to be called a traitor, then, we need to spread this message of BR Ambedkar to every household,” Gautam said. He also lamented how BR Ambedkar died within a month of converting to Buddhism and failed to convert the whole nation.
Later, a case was filed against him and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal by the BJP for trying to incite riots.
We are working to make India a Buddhist country & our target is to convert atleast 10 crore people by October 2025 : Kejriwal’s minister @AdvRajendraPal pic.twitter.com/tXpbR9i3fe
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 7, 2022
It is worth noting that in a 2020 interview, Pal revealed that they are working to turn India into a Buddhist country. “It is time to turn India into a Buddhist country. We are working to convert India into a Buddhist nation. Our target is to convert 10 crore people to Buddhism by October 2025,” he had said.
