VIJAYAWADA: Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy lashed out at the YSRCP, accusing it of politicising Hindu traditions and spreading ‘false propaganda’ against temples.
Speaking to mediapersons at the TDP’s central office in Mangalagiri on Friday, he highlighted the coalition government’s initiatives, including the creation of a Hindu Protection Board, enhancement of priests’ salaries from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, financial assistance for daily temple rituals, and stipend for youth trained in Vedic studies. Over 500 vacancies in the Endowments Department would soon be filled, while 377 dilapidated temples are being rebuilt at a cost of Rs 777 crore. The minimum salary for Nayee Brahmins was fixed at Rs 25,000, he elaborated.
He accused YSRCP leaders of deliberately hurting Hindu sentiments for political mileage, targeting former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He alleged that Jagan’s diversionary politics were intended to distract from scams during his tenure, including the multicrore liquor scam and illegal land deals. “The people have confined Jagan to just 11 Assembly seats, and half of those MLAs are facing jail terms,” he remarked.
He further criticised Karunakar Reddy, labelling him as an atheist who had misused the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for personal gain. “Karunakar Reddy speaking about temple purity is like a demon chanting the Vedas,” he lambasted. He highlighted that the coalition government had already implemented 95% of its election promises.