VIZIANAGARAM: The hillock temple of Ramatheertham in Nellimarla mandal, where the idol of Srirama was vandalised a few days ago, turned out a platform for the ruling YSRC and opposition TDP to train their guns against each other. On December 29 last, the idol of Srirama was vandalised and the next day, the severed part of the idol was found in the temple tank.
Ramatheertham witnessed tense moments as YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy reached the place ahead of the scheduled visit of Opposition leader and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu to the temple on Saturday morning. Local TDP and BJP activists had already started staging protests at the entrance of the hillock denouncing vandalisation of the idol.
Vijayasai Reddy, who reached the village even before Naidu landed in Visakhapatnam, trekked the hillock along with his party leaders and took stock of the situation. He enquired the temple staff and police officials about the incident. While he was coming down, TDP and BJP activists raised slogans against the State government.
They jostled with the YSRC activists for sometime. BJP district president Pavani collapsed in the melee. Amid the surcharged atmosphere, some miscreants threw footwear and stones at the car of Vijayasai Reddy. However, police acted swiftly and brought the situation under control by sending away Vijayasai Reddy in another car.
Speaking to the media, Vijayasai Reddy condemned the vandalisation of the idol and reiterated that TDP chief Naidu and his son Lokesh were behind the incident. Terming Naidu a brand ambassador of conspiracy, he said the TDP leaders vandalised the idol only to divert the attention of people from the house site patta distribution programme of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Vizianagaram. The YSRC MP also accepted the challenge of Lokesh for a debate on attacks on temples before Lord Simhadri Appanna and asked him to fix the date and time for it.
125 temple attack cases reported in last 19 months, alleges TDP supremo
“The TDP leaders are trying to defame the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, which is providing good governance. TDP leader and former Union minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is the chairman of Ramatheertham temple, should quit the post owning more responsibility for the attack,’’ the YSRC MP said. Meanwhile, Naidu’s convoy which was heading to Ramatheertham from Visakhapatnam, was stopped on the outskirts of Vizianagaram by parking lorries on the highway.
Naidu alleged that it was the YSRC activists who parked the lorries to block his convoy and police officials remained silent spectators. The police did not allow the vehicles of other leaders to follow the convoy of Naidu leading to heated arguments between the TDP leaders and the police officials. Naidu alighted from his vehicle and staged a protest on the road after which his convoy was allowed to proceed, but the vehicles of other party leaders were stopped.
Former Home minister and TDP MLA Nimmakayala Chinarajappa took an auto to reach Ramatheertham when the police stopped his vehicle. In view of tense situation at Ramatheertham, the police diverted Naidu’s convoy to another route instead of Nellimarla route to avoid the convoy of Vijayasai Reddy. By the time, Naidu reached the temple, it was closed. He criticised the authorities as to how Vijayasai Reddy was allowed to visit the temple when he was prevented from entering its premises. Naidu inspected the temple tank in which the severed part of the idol was found.
Addressing TDP activists at the protest site, Naidu said 125 temples in the State were attacked in the State in the past 19 months of YSRC rule. “It is the responsibility of the government to protect religious places. If the government fails to do so, people will take up protection of temples. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy should own responsibility and resign for his failure to protect the temples in the State,’’ the TDP chief said and demanded a CBI inquiry into the attacks on temples. Alleging that Jagan was encouraging religious conversions in the State, he warned the government of serious consequences if any untoward incident occurs in the State. “False cases are being foisted against two TDP ward leaders of Nellimarla in connection with the vandalisation, Chandrababu Naidu alleged.’’
Probe into idol vandalisation expedited, says SP
BJP State president Somu Veerraju, who apprised the developments in AP to the party national president JP Nadda in Delhi, said the YSRC government failed to stop attacks on temples. Veerraju will visit Ramatheertham on Monday. Vizianagaram SP B Rajakumari appealed to the political parties and people’s organisations to show restraint over the incident. Around 30 suspects were questioned as part of the investigation into attack on Ramatheertham temple.
Naidu will be arrested soon: Vellampalli
Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, Minister of Endowments, has suspected the role of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in vandalisation of temple idol. He will visit the temple on Sunday. “As Naidu knew that he will be arrested soon in the ‘Cash-for-vote’ case, he started projecting himself as a protector of temples to gain the attention of BJP,” Srinivasa Rao alleged.
Seer denounces attacks on temples in State
Condemning the increasing attacks on temples in the State, Sri Swaroopanandendra Swamy of Visakhapatnam-based Sri Sarada Peetham urged the Endowments Minister to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future. The Seer spoke to the minister over phone and urged him to punish the vandals of Rama idol in Ramatheertham temple.