Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 7: Ignoring the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion granted to each citizen of the country, the BJP has launched an attack on the entire Aam Aadmi Party for one of its minister in Delhi government attending a Buddhist conversion ceremony where people are heard denouncing Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
The BJP Delhi chief Adesh Gupta even has filed a police complaint against the social welfare minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government Rajendra Pal Gautam for remaining present on the dais during the “oath taking ceremony” and posted a video of the October 5 ceremony in Delhi where an estimated 7,000 people, mostly from the Dalit community, were converted to Buddhism.
Describing the social media posts to this effect “provocative, exasperating, mischievous in nature,” Adesh Gupta’s police complaint said, “These social media posts are created with the obvious motive of inciting violence and promoting hatred against Hindutva and Hindu religion, which subsequently is motivated to provoke them.” his complaint said. Many other BJP leaders including the party’s former Delhi unit chief and party MP Manoj Tiwari rallied round Gupta to denounce the entire AAP and the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for “visiting Hindu temples during elections.”
The mass conversion event, called Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din, is a yearly event marking Dr BR Ambedkar’s conversion to Lord Buddha’s faith in October 1956 along with lakhs of followers. Dr Ambedkar had taken 22 vows, which includes denouncing Hindu Gods. The vows taken by Dr Ambedkar are repeated during these mass conversion events. The AAP Minister Mr Gautam among a thousand others at the event, can be heard taking an oath, saying, “I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, nor shall I worship them.”
The BJP has condemned the participation of the AAP minister calling it 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.
The BJP said the “conversion” event was a bid to spread disharmony in the city. Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari went as far as to call it an organised attempt to spread riots. “This is the anti-Hindu image of Arvind Kejriwal who is trying to divide and rule in the city.” “Buddhists are non-violent people, but what the AAP minister is doing is an attempt to spread hatred in the community,” he said.
The BJP’s Delhi unit tweeted the video, accusing the AAP minister of “spewing venom” against Hindus. “See how Kejriwal’s minister is spewing venom against Hindus. The anti-Hindu face of the electoral Hindu Kejriwal and AAP has come in front of everyone. The public will soon give a befitting reply to the anti-Hindu AAP. Shame on you, Kejriwal,” it tweeted.
BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana, too, reacted to the video, saying: “This is the duplicity of the Aam Aadmi Party. In the state where elections are held, Arvind Kejriwal does not get tired of saying Jai Shri Ram and Jai Shri Krishna. But when it’s over, their true face comes out, which is abusing Hindu gods and goddesses.”
Rajendra Pal Gautam shot back reminding the BJP of constitutional rights. “BJP is anti-national. I have faith in Buddhism, why does anyone have trouble with it? Let them complain. The constitution gives us the freedom to follow any religion. BJP is afraid of AAP. They can only lodge fake cases against us,” he said.
Adesh Gupta took a dig at Arvind Kejriwal, questioning why he goes to temples during elections when his minister is “making people take an oath” against Hindu Gods. “Once again the anti-Hindu face of AAP exposed,” he claimed. “So what do you go to temples to show during elections? Does Hinduism sting so much in AAP’s eyes? Why so much hate?” Gupta tweeted in Hindi.
Doubling down on his stand, the AAP minister said he has faith in Buddhism and nobody can force him to follow a religion. “Those who do caste based politics are traitors, they don’t have any other agenda. They think they have exclusive rights over a religion. They are asking why AAP workers go to temples. Well, those who have faith will go. I have faith in Buddhism, I will go there. No one can force me to follow a religion,” Mr Gautam added.
The event was organised by the Jai Bheem Mission – founded by Mr Gautam – where nearly 7000 people, mostly Dalits, embraced Buddhism. The event was also attended by the great-grandnephew of BR Ambedkar, Rajratna Ambedkar.
The Aam Aadmi Party is yet to react to the development.