AAP's Ex-Minister, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Questioned By Delhi Police Over A Religious Conversion Event

The Delhi Police on Monday questioned former minister in AAP led Delhi government, Rajendra Pal Gautam, over his presence at a mass religious conversion event where Hindu deities were denounced.

He will again be quizzed on 11 October, senior officials said. 

The AAP leader, who resigned from the Delhi Cabinet on Sunday (9 October) after the controversy erupted told that he was questioned about the nature of the programme and how it was organised.

The BJP had raised the issue vociferously and questioned AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over the “anti-Hindu” activities of his cabinet minister. Posters were put up in Gujarat on the derogatory remarks made by AAP minister and Kejriwal's silence on the matter.

In a letter shared on Twitter, Gautam had said he attended the event in his personal capacity, and it had nothing to do with his party or the ministry.

He lashed out at the BJP for targeting Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging the saffron party was doing dirty politics on the issue.

The controversy erupted last week after a video went viral in which Gautam is seen at an event on 5 October where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism and to not consider Hindu deities as gods.

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

Even after the controversy, Gautam has not been suspended from the AAP party and remains defiant for sharing stage at an event that openly called for denouncing of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

(with inputs from PTI)