Ex-Delhi Minister receives death threats from godmen

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Former Delhi Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who stirred a controversy over his comments over Hindu deities at a religious event, claimed that he has received alleged death threats from several godmen.

"I am being threatened with death by some self-styled godmen, taking cognizance of which today I lodged a complaint with the President, Union Home Minister and the police administration regarding this. Victory is beyond fear. Jai Bheem!," Gautam tweeted on Friday.

In the letter about death threats, the AAP MLA claimed that three Ayodhya-based Hindu godmen were trying to malign his image and create religious tensions.

"One of these Babas, by instigating people in the name of religion, has given a contract to kill me, offering Rs 50 lakh for it," he alleged.

The Former Minister said that he has lodged a complaint with the police and also written to President Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard.

"The way these self-styled babas have publicly insulted the constitutional rights of me and my society to participate in the Dhamma initiation programme and by inciting religious sentiments of the public, they have instigated violence against me and create an atmosphere of terror. Not only have they done the work of defaming our country all over the world, but by inciting people who believe in Hindu religion against the people of Scheduled Castes and people who believe in Buddhism, the work of spreading enmity and hatred in the society," he added in the letter.

"The objective of these religious gurus is to threaten to kill me and they want to terrorise the people of my society so that they do not follow the path shown by Baba Saheb Ambedkar in fear of their threats. These babas gave this statement so that religious sentiments of the people are incited and people commit criminal activities like murder, communal violence and riots and also through this video an atmosphere of hatred and animosity be created in the society," the AAP MLA said.

"Police and administration should take strict action against the enemies of society and the country so that in future no person indulges in this type of terrorist activity and the atmosphere of peace and brotherhood is maintained in the country."

These self-styled babas have not only tried to carry out a terrorist plan to incite violence against Bahujan Samaj and Buddhists by inciting religious sentiments of Hindus, but have also insulted the beliefs of Ambedkar and the people who believe in Buddhism, the letter said.

Police should investigate impartially from where these self-styled babas get so much money and what are its sources and which terrorist organisations they have links with, the former Minister added.