This time it flowed from a set of twenty-two vows, administered by Bhim Rao Ambedkar to his followers again in 1956, after they renounced Hinduism and transformed to Buddhism, and resolved to not worship “Hindu gods and goddesses”.
The BJP shared a video of AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who heads the Social Welfare and SC/ST Welfare portfolios, on the ‘Deeksha Samaroh’ held in Delhi Wednesday repeating the vows with near 10,000 individuals who accepted Buddhism.
As each AAP and the Kejriwal authorities selected silence, realising the potential minefields a debate on the problem may lead it into, the BJP held a press convention saying “Gautam’s feedback spotlight the hate” AAP has for Hindus. Demanding Gautam’s resignation, it additionally alleged that he appeared to have made the feedback on the behest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Sources in AAP stated Kejriwal was “offended” with Gautam for handing the BJP an pointless controversy on a platter. “The get together just isn’t precisely able to say something on the problem as a result of, it doesn’t matter what it says, it can gasoline the Opposition’s assault,” an AAP chief stated.
“चलो बुद्ध की ओर, मिशन जय भीम बुलाता है”
मिशन जय भीम के संरक्षक @AdvRajendraPal जी ने गाया शानदार धम्म गीत। जरूर सुनें। pic.twitter.com/iUOiSp8wtb— Mission Jai Bheem (@MissionJayBheem) October 6, 2022
What complicates issues for the get together is that it has left no stone unturned to co-opt Ambedkar as one among its fundamental idols. Ambedkar’s portrait is a requisite at AAP workplaces and people of its ministers, whereas a life-size one adorns the Delhi CM’s residence now.
“These vows which Gautam repeated are Ambedkar’s. Nevertheless, the present political local weather signifies that many issues might be interpreted as anti-Hindu,” the AAP chief stated.
AAP has been attempting to achieve out to Dalits in its election marketing campaign for Gujarat, and just lately flew in a sanitation employee and his household from Gujarat to dine with Kejriwal and his household on the CM’s residence.
Whereas the Scheduled Caste inhabitants of Gujarat stands at 6.74%, in Himachal Pradesh, the place AAP can also be contesting, it’s as excessive as 25%.
AAP insiders identified that the get together has labored laborious over the previous 5 years to problem the BJP in relation to “being Hindu”. Its authorities and MLAs have organised common prayers and different non secular occasions in Delhi over the previous few years. Forward of the 2020 Delhi Meeting polls, Kejriwal even recited the Hanuman Chalisa throughout an interview with a information channel, whereas calling himself a religious Hindu.
“The BJP doesn’t personal Hinduism, and that is one thing AAP has tried to point out the folks,” a celebration chief stated, including that the get together’s intention was that one ought to discuss one’s work as an alternative, since each individual valued their perception.
A celebration insider stated they’re caught in a Catch-22 state of affairs in relation to Gautam. “Taking motion towards him, particularly for simply taking part in an occasion that occurs yearly and which was first organised by Ambedkar, would anger the Dalit inhabitants, which has historically supported AAP. Alternatively, the context during which BJP has launched the video, places us on the again foot,” the chief stated.
Gautam has thus far taken an aggressive stand, telling the media: “Does the BJP have every other subject to discuss? It needs to create disharmony amongst folks within the identify of caste and faith. It doesn’t discuss joblessness… Dalits are attacked day-after-day.”
चलो बुद्ध की ओर मिशन जय भीम बुलाता है।
आज “मिशन जय भीम” के तत्वाधान में अशोका विजयदशमी पर डॉ०अंबेडकर भवन रानी झांसी रोड पर 10,000 से ज्यादा बुद्धिजीवियों ने तथागत गौतम बुद्ध के धम्म में घर वापसी कर जाति विहीन व छुआछूत मुक्त भारत बनाने की शपथ ली।
नमो बुद्धाय, जय भीम! pic.twitter.com/sKtxzVRYJt
— Rajendra Pal Gautam (@AdvRajendraPal) October 5, 2022
On the programme and the 22 vows, Gautam, who’s Buddhist, identified that everybody within the nation has the liberty to practise their beliefs. “Individuals are utilizing solely components of the video. This was not a political programme, it was an occasion organised by the Buddhist Society of India, which was based by Babasaheb Ambedkar. This has occurred yearly since 1956. This occurs throughout the nation. While you take deeksha, you don’t discuss any faith, you discuss humanity.”
He requested the BJP to learn the 22 vows “correctly”. “Nobody from the get together has made any anti-Hindu feedback.”
Amongst different issues, the vows say that an individual taking them is renouncing Hinduism and accepting Buddhism, doesn’t imagine within the worship of Hindu gods and goddesses and within the incarnation of God, won’t maintain ceremonies to be carried out by Brahmins, try to set up equality, and by no means lie or steal.