BJP slams Chhattisgarh Congress mayor for ‘disrespecting Hindus’ in Buddhist conversion event

Congress Mayor Hema Deshmukh, however, said she is a Hindu and did not take any pledge during the event or did anything to hurt religious sentiments.

Congress Mayor Hema Deshmukh at the event | Facebook/Hemadeshmukhcongress

New Delhi: The BJP Tuesday alleged Chhattisgarh Congress Mayor Hema Deshmukh of hurting Hindu sentiments by participating at a religious conversion event in the state. Deshmukh is a mayor of the Rajnandgaon Municipal Corporation in Chhattisgarh.

The allegations came days after former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Rajendra Pal Gautam courted controversy after a video went viral showing him attending an event where hundreds took pledge to convert to Buddhism and not consider Hindu deities as gods.

In a video circulating online, Deshmukh can be seen attending an event organised by the Buddhist community in the Chhattisgarh city.

“Did Gautam Buddha ever say this? Then what kind of animosity are they spreading towards the worshipers of Sanatan Dharma, these so-called Buddhist followers who are ready to change their religion…,” BJP’s Chhattisgarh unit posted in its Twitter handle.

“And in this gathering, Rajnandgaon’s Congress Mayor Hema Deshmukh sitting on a responsible post is repeating the same sentiments in the oath. What kind of animosity towards Sanatan Dharma, which has been spreading the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ till now. This act of Congress mayor is highly condemnable,” the post further said.

Speaking to ThePrint, Deshmukh said, “It was a conference of Buddhists and Baba Ambedkar’s grandson Yashwant Rao Ambedkar was also present, apart from the ex-chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh. Though Raman Singh left a little early I was there and made my speech, and by then the oath ceremony started while reading Ambedkar’s 22 vows. I did not take any shapath (vow) and nor did I raise my hands. I am a Hindu and I have my own beliefs, just as they have their own belief system. I have not hurt anyone through this.”

She also explained that it was a state-level ‘Bodh Sammelan’ programme organised by the Buddhist community.

The 22 vows refer to the list of pledges Ambedkar had prescribed to his followers after converting from Hinduism to Buddhism on 14 October, 1956 in Nagpur. At least seven of Ambedkar’s 22 vows either deal with direct renunciation of Hinduism or a vow to no longer believe in Hindu gods or practices. The vows also contain criticism of the caste system and uphold Ambedkar’s devotion to Buddhism, which is consistent with Ambedkar’s lifelong anti-caste ideology and activism work.

‘Congress should expel Deshmukh’

Senior BJP leader and former home minister Brijmohan Agrawal told ThePrint, “Congress party is always against Hinduism and uses them only for votes. The Karnataka Congress’ working president has said a dirty word. So what more can we expect from this. This is wrong and not acceptable.”

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sachchidanand Upasane demanded Deshmukh’s resignation.

“Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, also believed in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and never had this feeling towards Sanatan Dharma, instead he respected religion. Such kind of thinking of the mayor is an insult to Sanatan Dharma. If there is respect for morality and Sanatan in the Congress, then she should be expelled from the party,” he told ThePrint.

Congress leaders, however, denied the allegations made by the BJP.

Chhattisgarh Congress leader Shailesh Trivedi told ThePrint, “I have not seen the video but I’m 100 per cent sure it is either edited or doctored because Hema Deshmukh herself is a Hindu. It is possible that she must have gone to Rajnandgaon where there is a sizable Buddhist population. The area is adjacent to Maharashtra.”

Trivedi added, “Maharashtra is where Ambedkar ji’s movement of conversion to Buddhism started. Because this area (Rajnandgaon) is adjacent to that (Maharashtra), it has a big Buddhist population. Maybe she went to an event organised by Buddhists. But, personally, as a Congressman, I believe in Ram. I believe in Krishna. We call Ram ‘bhanjha’ (nephew) so there is no question of any of us not believing in Ram or Krishna. We are all Ram-bhakts. We respect all religions. Hinduism is our dharma. There is no question of not respecting it.”