GUNTUR: Tension prevailed at Kotilingala Saiva Kshetram in Tallayapalem under Thullur police limits in Guntur district on Sunday morning when a group of people from Yadav community made a vain bid to force their way into the mutt premises.
They were protesting against the remarks made by Shiva Kshetram pontiff Shiva Swamy against the appointment of Putta Sudhakar Yadav, a TDP leader from Kadapa district, as the new chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala.
Police, who were deployed at the place expecting trouble, foiled the attempt of the Yadava community leaders. They were arrested and taken to Thullur police station and released later in the evening. The leaders of Yadava community claimed that Putta Sudhakar is a Hindu and was also as TTD board member previously. Wondering as to why Shiva Swamy was making baseless allegations, they demanded an unconditional apology from Siva Swamy.
Sudhakar Yadav has already clarified that he is “100 per cent Hindu” and has nothing to do with any religious conversions as being alleged by people with vested interest.
Meanwhile, taking exception to Shiva Swamy’s comments that he would welcome any other person from Yadav community other than Sudhakar, BC Sankshema Sangham state president M Hanumantha Rao lodged a police against Siva Swamy in the Amaravati police station. Telugu Desam Guntur city president B Srinivas Yadav also lodged a complaint with Guntur urban SP Ch Vijaya Rao against Siva Swamy. Srinivas alleged the Siva Swamy was trying to malign the character of the new TTD chairman.