New Delhi: Over 10 thousand people on Wednesday gathered at Ambedkar Bhavan in the national capital, Delhi to take part in an initiation to convert to Buddism on October 5, the occasion of Dussehra, when Ashok Vijayadashmi is also celebrated.
Organised by Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Rajendra Pal Gautam, Minister of Social Welfare in Delhi, Bharatiya Boddh Mahasabha, and Buddhist Society of India, the program was attended by many Buddhist monks along with Rajratna Ambedkar, great-grandnephew of Dr BR Ambedkar and President of Buddhist Society of India, according to The Mooknayak.
Rajendra Pal Gautam, who is the founder of Mission Jai Bhim, took to Twitter, penned, "Let’s call the mission Jai Bhim towards Buddha. Today, under the aegis of “Mission Jai Bhim", on Ashoka Vijayadashami, more than 10,000 intellectuals took a pledge to make a caste-free and untouchable India by returning home to Tathagata Gautam Buddha’s Dhamma at Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan Rani Jhansi Road. Namo Buddha, Jai Bhim!"
Several videos of the event and the initiation have gone viral on the internet. One clip showed people were asked to vow not to worship Hindu gods and goddesses, nor to follow Hindu rituals, sparking a fresh controversy.
Sharing the clip on the micro-blogging site, BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana alleged that this showed the duplicity of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, as they pray to them during elections.
He wrote, "This is the duplicity of @AamAadmiParty. In the state where elections are held there @ArvindKejriwal and his henchmen do not tire of saying Jai Shri Ram and Jai Shri Krishna. But where they are in power, how their ministers (listen yourself) insult our favored deitie," further adding that they would be filing a police complaint regarding this.
Delhi BJP President Adesh Gupta has termed the act as 'Hindu virodhi' and further asked their leaders not to pretend by going to Hindu temples.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, "This is 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."
So far, no official complaint has been filed or received by Delhi police in this regard.
Responding to the allegations, Gautam told ANI, "BJP is anti-national. I've faith in Buddhism, why does anyone have trouble with it? Let them complain. Constitution gives us the freedom to follow any religion. BJP is afraid of AAP. They can only lodge fake cases against us.
