Delhi Police Summons AAP's Rajendra Pal Gautam Amid Row Over Religious Conversion Event

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Rajendra Pal Gautam, who is at the centre of controversy over his presence at a religious conversion event, has been summoned by the Delhi police for questioning on Tuesday, October 11, NDTV reported.

He took part in the event organised by the Buddhist Society of India in Delhi on Saturday, October 8, where a number of Dalits converted to Buddhism. He along with others was seen taking an oath, saying, "I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, nor shall I worship them."

Gautam's presence at the event triggered a massive political row, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing AAP as "anti-Hindu". He stepped down as Delhi's social welfare minister on Sunday, October 9, stating that he had attended the event in his personal capacity and it had nothing to do with his party. He clarified that he wasn't asked by anyone to resign, but he did so not to cause any trouble to his party.

Gautam clarified that it was a "social and religious event", and the same oath had been administered year after year since 1956 for those who wanted to accept Buddhism. The oath was made of customary 22 pledges given by B.R. Ambedkar, he added.

The issue has become troublesome for the AAP, which is pitting itself as the main contender against the ruling BJP in Gujarat, where elections are around the corner. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, posters came up in Gujarat's Vadodara, slamming Gautam and dubbing AAP as "anti-Hindu".

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