Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam resigns after controversy over religious conversion event

Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Sunday resigned from his post, amid a controversy over his presence at a religious conversion event where Hindu deities were allegedly denounced.

The BJP had attacked him and the Aam Aadmi Party after a video went viral showing him attending the event on October 5 where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism and not consider Hindu deities as gods.

He had accused the BJP of spreading "rumours" against him and had apologised to "anyone who has been hurt due to such propaganda".

In a letter shared on Twitter, he said that he has resigned.

"I do not want my leader Shri Arvind Kejriwal or the party to be in any trouble because of me. I am a true solider of the party and I will follow the ideals shown by Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Gautam Buddh throughout my entire life," he said.