AAP minister Rajendra Pal apologises amid conversion row, slams BJP for creating rumours

Rajendra Pal Gautam,  AAP minister who has come under fire for attending a religious conversion event where Hindu deities were allegedly condemned, has slammed the BJP of creating "rumours" about him and apologised to "anyone who has been affected due to such propaganda" on Friday.

After a video of the Delhi social welfare minister visiting event where hundreds pledge to adopt to Buddhism and denounce Hindu deities as gods on October 5 went viral, he found himself at the center of a controversy on Friday. BJP leaders also attacked Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to sack AAP MLA Gautam. 

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Gaurav Bhatia, the national spokesperson for the BJP, charged the AAP with offending Hindus' feelings during a press conference. "Gautam's comments highlight the hate the party has for the community," he said, adding the "comments were made at the behest of Kejriwal".

Although neither the Aam Aadmi Party nor the Delhi government responded officially, sources within the AAP said that Gautam had upset the chief minister to a "extreme level." Later in the day, Gautam released a statement in Hindi in which he accused the BJP of spreading "rumour" about him and asked anyone who had been hurt due to such propaganda" to apologise.

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He claimed that he found out about the BJP's "rumour" campaign against him through the media. "I am a deeply religious person. I personally respect all the gods and the goddesses and would not even dream of insulting any deity through any action or word of mine."

The minister claimed that although he addressed concerns of social equality, price rise, job, and health in his remarks at the event, BJP leaders were circulating "rumour" against him. "I am deeply hurt by this mischief of BJP leaders and seek apology with folded hands from anyone who has been hurt in any way due to such propaganda by the BJP," he said in the statement.

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(With inputs from PTI)