Samajwadi Party spokesperson denies religious conversion reports

Rajkumar Bhati, a spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, has dismissed reports suggesting he has converted to Buddhism, terming them as baseless rumors. The denial came after a video of his attendance at an event organized by the Indian Buddhist Assembly in Delhi circulated widely on social media platforms.

Bhati stated that he holds deep respect for Buddhism and the teachings of Mahatma Buddha, but clarified that he remains a practicing Hindu. He emphasized that his participation in the Buddhist Assembly event should not be misconstrued as an indication of religious conversion.

The spokesperson attributed the spread of conversion reports to what he described as a deliberate misinformation campaign. Bhati accused the Bharatiya Janata Party's information technology cell of orchestrating the rumor to damage his credibility and create communal discord.

The incident highlights the tendency of politically-charged content to rapidly circulate on social media in India, often without substantiation. Bhati's clarification underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious matters in Indian politics and the potential for viral videos to be misinterpreted or weaponized for political purposes.