Andhra CM Jagan orders action over vandalisation of idols, BJP calls for agitation
Days after an idol of the deity Rama was vandalised at a temple in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that desecration of idols will not be tolerated in the state, and stringent action will be taken against those found responsible. Terming the vandalising of idols as atrocious, the Chief Minister directed the police to take strict action to prevent such incidents in the future. However, Andhra Pradesh BJP leaders have called for agitations in the name of ‘Chalo Ramateertham,’ to protest the incident.
The idol belonged to the Bodikonda Kodandarama temple, situated on a hilltop near Ramatheertham village in Nellimarla mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district. Unidentified miscreants had damaged the idol a few days ago, and the incident came to light earlier on Tuesday. BJP leaders had staged a dharna near the temple, demanding the arrest of the accused and safeguarding of Hindu temples in the state.
In a message calling for a ‘Chalo Ramateertham Yatra’ shared on Thursday, Andhra Pradesh BJP co-incharge and national secretary Sunil Deodhar said that there were repeated attacks on Hindu society and Hindu deities in the state. However, police have refuted such allegations of anti-Hindu “conspiracy” in the state. Earlier in September, Andhra Pradesh Director General Of Police (DGP) had said that the various temple related crime incidents that were coming to light since the Antarvedi temple chariot fire were all stand-alone incidents, and were not linked in any way.
Sunil Deodhar went on to say, “Religious conversions are being supported by the state government. Jagan, be careful, BJP will not tolerate this.” While there have been repeated allegations made by right-wing groups that there has been a rise in religious conversions around major Hindu temples in the state (Tirumala Venkateswara temple, Vijayawada Kanaka Durga temple etc.), there has been no evidence of instances of forced conversions in the state. The Indian Constitution provides freedom of religion as a fundamental right to all citizens, and while some states have laws against forced or ‘fraudulent’ conversion, there is no ban on conversion anywhere in India.
Sunil Deodhar also took objection to an incident at the Tirumala Venkateswara temple. On December 25, when Vaikuntha Ekadasi was being celebrated at the temple, Deodhar claimed that a YSRCP Deputy Chief Minister wished people ‘Merry Christmas’ during his visit to the temple, and took objection to it.
రాష్ట్రంలో కొందరు దుండగులు మరో హేయమైన చర్యకు పాల్పడ్డారు. 400 ఏళ్ల నాటి రామతీర్థం మందిరంలో శ్రీరాముడి విగ్రహాన్ని రెండు ముక్కలుగా ఖండించి అందరి మనోభావాలను దెబ్బ తీశారు. - @sunil_deodhar జి!#ChaloRamateertham pic.twitter.com/32BmaesLSq
— BJP ANDHRA PRADESH (@BJP4Andhra) December 31, 2020
“State-sponsored religious conversions will not be tolerated. We will agitate across the state. I called for all Hindus to come together in protest,” Sunil Deodhar said.
Meanwhile, Vizianagaram police have formed five special teams to trace the culprits responsible for damaging the Rama idol, according to The Hindu. A group of TDP leaders have also reportedly expressed their support for the BJP’s protests against the Vizianagaram incident.
Watch: The war on communal fear mongering in Andhra