Hundreds join AAP's Gautam in march for abolition of caste, untouchability

Hundreds of people joined Aam Aadmi Party leader Rajendra Pal Gautam who marched from from Raj Niwas to Dr Ambedkar National Memorial here on Friday and pledged to fight casteism and untouchability.

The supporters carried placards and flags and shouted 'Jai Bheem, Jai Bheem'.

Gautam, who recently resigned after he got into a controversy over a religious conversion event which he presided over, said caste-based violence must be stopped in the country.

"The incidents targeting members of a particular community on the basis of caste must come to an end. The Prime Minister and Home Minister should take strong actions.

"I believe in Ambedkar's Constitution and law. Through Buddha, the message of peace and humanity had gone to the world from India. I believe that our country will progress with humanity and peace. We will also pledge to abolish the caste system, and for peace and brotherhood in the country," Gautam said.

"This caravan is not going to stop. I, along with thousands of companions from the community, took out a march from my residence, reiterated our resolve to build a caste-free and untouchability-free India. My struggle to connect the community to the mainstream will continue. Namo Buddha, Jai Bhim!" he tweeted in Hindi.

Gautam resigned as Delhi's social welfare minister on Sunday in the wake of a controversy over a religious conversion event where hundreds of people renounced Hindu gods and took oaths to convert to Buddhism.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had used the issue to attack Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat and accused him of being "anti-Hindu".

Asked if his march had something to do with the still smouldering controversy, Gautam said: "This is not the first time. I have done thousands of protests in my life."

After he resigned from the Delhi Cabinet, Gautam was quizzed by police at his residence on Monday.

He had earlier said that he attended the event in his personal capacity and it had nothing to do with his party or the ministry.