Hindu deities and religious customs denigrated; Hindus brainwashed into converting to Buddhism by Buddhist leader
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India 
8 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Dhakad Khiriya, located in the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, offensive remarks against Hindu gods were made by a Buddhist leader named Suraj Rahi in a Buddhist conference organised to convert several Hindus to Buddhism. According to reports, a video emerged on social media showing Suraj Rahi taking an oath to renounce Hinduism during a three-day Buddhist Dhamma conference held at Dhakad Khiriya in Bhitarwar, Gwalior district. During this conference, disparaging remarks were made about Hindu deities, and inflammatory statements were voiced regarding them in his oath. The oath included the following statements: "I will not believe Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh as God, I will not even worship them, I will not believe Ram and Krishna as God, I will never worship them. I will not believe in Gauri Ganapati and other deities of the Hindu religion, I will not worship them. I will not believe that God has taken incarnation. I will never believe that Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Vishnu; I consider such propaganda to be madness and false propaganda. I will never perform Shraddha, nor will I ever perform Pinddaan." He further said that "I will not do anything against Buddhism, I will not get any ritual performed by Brahmins, I will believe in the principle that all beings are equal. I will try to establish equality. I will fully follow the eight-fold path of Lord Buddha. I will fully follow the 10 beliefs told by Lord Buddha. I will work on the path of religion, I abandon the old religion that believes in high and low religion of man and accept Buddhism, the Dhamma of Lord Buddha is the right Dhamma, I am now being born again- I take this sacred pledge today that from today I will behave according to Buddhism." The three-day Buddhist Dhamma conference was organised by the 96 Village Jatav Samaj Sudhar Samiti in Dhakad Khiriya, Bhitarwar, with Buddhist Acharya Suraj Rahi in attendance. Subsequently, a four-minute video of Suraj's oath went viral on social media, sparking outrage among Hindus. The organiser of the event, Rupendra Verma, President of the Jatav Samaj Sudhar Samiti, claimed that the programme only included the 22 pledges made by Dr Ambedkar and no conversions were taking place.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the category of Predatory Proselytisation. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attempting to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. In this case, the Buddhist leader, with the support of the organiser, was overtly attempting to convert Hindus by abusing and disparaging Hindu gods, goddesses, and temples. In an effort to indoctrinate Hindus against their own religion, a campaign rooted in hostility towards the Hindu faith, they made derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and Hindu religious customs like Shraddha and Pinddaan. Such tactics are typically employed to assert the perceived superiority of their own religious beliefs over Hinduism and also to instil doubt in the minds of Hindus, thereby making them more susceptible to conversion. Hindu deities are an integral part of the Hindu religion. Any attempt to mock these revered figures stems from animosity towards Hinduism. In this instance, the objectionable oath was a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. It was not a random or misguided act, but rather a calculated and premeditated effort to undermine Hinduism and the broader Hindu community. It is also important to note that the perpetrators attempted to justify their actions by claiming they were merely reciting the 22 vows of Dr Ambedkar. This demonstrates that they adhere to Ambedkarite ideology, which itself harbours hostility and contempt for Hindu deities. The excuse that they were reading Ambedkar's vows to convert Hindus reveals deep-seated prejudice and animosity towards Hindus and their religion. Ambedkarism, as an ideology, often expresses disdain for Hindus and their gods under the guise of 'fighting casteism'. Numerous similar events organised by Ambedkarites have exhibited similar contempt for Hinduism, making it evident that their political ideology is less about uplifting the Dalit community and more about expressing animosity towards Hindus and their faith. The accused invoked B.R. Ambedkar’s decision to leave Hinduism and used it to actively justify his disparaging remarks on Hindu gods and his call for the rejection of Hindu festivals and practices. Such instances are not isolated, but rather deliberate attacks and insults directed at Hindu deities and Hinduism, motivated by deep-seated animosity. Notably, Ambedkarites present themselves as champion of Dalit rights; however, their actions and affiliations often contradict this claim. Dalits are very much Hindus, yet the Ambedkarites frequently target Hindu symbols, festivals, and practices, including those held sacred by Dalits themselves. This pattern suggests that their agenda is less about genuine Dalit upliftment and more aligned with broader anti-Hindu narratives that seek to divide and weaken Hindu society from within. As this case is motivated by religious hostility towards Hinduism and Hindu deities, it is being added to the hate crime database
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
