Rajendra Pal Gautam is an Indian politician, Dalit activist, Social worker and the former Minister for Water, Tourist, Culture, Arts & Languages and Gurudwara Elections in the Government of Delhi.

He was a cabinet minister in the Third Kejriwal ministry since 14 February 2015 and held the charge of below listed departments of the Delhi Government.

[9] He operated a Non-governmental organization (NGO) called Partivartan and as of 2022 he runs the organisation, 'Mission Jai Bhim'.

[15] Rajendra Pal Gautam quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and stepped down as the legislator of Seemapuri on 6 September 2024 and joined Indian National Congress in the presence of Congress General Secretary K.C Venugopal at AICC HQ in New Delhi.

[16][17] On 5 October 2022, Buddhist Society of India and Mission Jai Bhim jointly organized an event[18] at Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan Rani Jhansi Road.

"[15] During the event, while Gautam was on stage, the attendees repeated Twenty-two vows that B. R. Ambedkar had administered to his followers.

Since then such events have been organised regularly, where people who are mainly from the oppressed castes, recite the 22 vows and embrace Buddhism.

It was reported that there were no derogatory words for Hindu gods and goddesses in the pledge, but it simply asserts that the speaker shall not worship them.

He said in his resignation letter that he had noticed that the BJP had been targeting Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP for Gautam's participation in the event.

He said, "I will continue to work for the party to strengthen India and will follow the teachings of Babasaheb Ambedkar all my life.

The BJP has a problem with me following the teaching of Babasaheb Ambedkar and is using this to play dirty politics… I do not wish that due to me my leader Mr. Kejriwal and my party are harmed in anyway.

"[24][25][26] On 10 October 2022, Gautam, shared a video that reportedly showed some Upper caste men beating a Dalit man.