BJP demands resignation of Andhra minister over attacks on temples

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 3 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Andhra Pradesh state co-in charge Sunil V Deodhar slammed the state government for series of incidents of alleged attacks on temples and demanded the resignation of Endowments Minister Velampalli Srinivasa Rao.
"Yet another shocking incident took place in Vijayawada today. A 40-year-old Sita Mata idol was vandalised by anti-Hindu forces. On December 28, a 400-year-old idol was vandalised. Why is Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy not doing anything? Law and order is a state subject. If he is not able to handle this then he should step down," Deodhar said in a recorded video message.
"In one and a half years of Jagan's rule, more than 150 temples or idols or symbols have been burnt or destroyed. Why is there state-sponsored proselytization?" he added.
Deodhar further said that TDP president Chandrababu Naidu is shedding crocodile tears on the Ramateertham idol vandalisation incident. He further recalled demolition of temples in Vijayawada at the time of Krishna Pushkarams during TDP regime and asked why Chandrababu did not reconstruct the temples as he had promised.
The idol of Lord Ram was allegedly desecrated at Ramateertham in Vizianagaram district here on December 29 after which a group of BJP workers staged a protest at the temple premises.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Police DGP Gautam Sawang said on December 31 that investigation is going on in the incident of desecration of Lord Ram idol at Ramateertham.