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Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajendra Pal Gautam, who resigned from his post as the Social Welfare Minister, was questioned by the Delhi Police in connection with a religious conversion event on Tuesday.
A complaint was received against him last week and he was accused of ‘denouncing Hindu deities’ at the event, held at Karol Bagh’s Ambedkar Bhawan on October 5.
The Delhi Police are now probing the case and will question all persons involved with the event. No FIR has been registered in the case yet.
Gautam, who reached the Paharganj police station at around 2.30 pm, was questioned for three hours.
Shweta Chauhan, DCP (Central) said, “We had received a complaint against Gautam wherein the complainant made several allegations. Based on the complaint, Gautam was called and questioned. We are only conducting an inquiry right now. He was questioned about the event and he left after that”.
Police officials said they will also question religious leaders and the organisers who were involved with the event.
Sources said Gautam was questioned about the sequence of events, his involvement and his “intent” behind joining the event. He was also asked to show documents related to the event.
On Monday, police said they went to his home to inform him about the enquiry and issued a notice asking him to join the probe.
On October 5, Gautam attended a programme at the Ambedkar Bhawan, where thousands of people converted to Buddhism and repeated BR Ambedkar’s 22 vows, which included the intent to not worship any Hindu gods or goddesses. Excerpts of videos from the event were shared by BJP leaders over several days with allegations that anti-Hindu statements were made.
“On 05/10/22, a programme was organized at Ambedkar Bhawan, Delhi wherein you were present and certain words were uttered publicly, which has infuriated the public at large. Written complaints have been received in this regard… During the enquiry, presence of your good self is very much essential to decide the further course of action as per law. Accordingly, you are hereby requested/directed to appear in person with all documents before the undersigned at police station Pahar Ganj, on 11/10/22 at 2:00 PM without fail, otherwise, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say or explain anything on your part and the matter would be decided as per law,” reads the notice.
On Tuesday, Gautam posted a video on Twitter while he was at the police station. In the video, he said, “ We have been sitting here since 2.30 pm… We have given our statements in writing. The same has been sent to the DCP. Today, there’s a programme at my house to celebrate Valmiki Jayanti. Many people have come there. SHO requested us to be here… he will go to Arun Jaitley stadium and give the written file to DCP and will come back. Maybe I should say it (the statement) will go to the Home Minister…”
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