Political guerrilla warfare: Jagan sees opposition hand in Andhra temple attacks

Targetting Opposition parties over recent incidents of attacks and vandalism of temples, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has termed the act as "political guerrilla warfare" and said that deities were being targetted to divert public attention from good works being undertaken by his government.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had said that idols were being desecrated in temples administered by individuals linked to Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

A new model of political guerrilla warfare is taking place in the state. Temples and idols are being attacked with political motives, at places with low population and at midnight hours at isolated places. Idols are being desecrated," the Chief Minister said on Tuesday while addressing district collectors and SPs through video conference.

He further said, "Next day, these incidents are publicized on social media platforms and are later picked up as news by a section of mainstream media. Opposition parties are using these opportunities".

Continuing his tirade against the Opposition, Reddy said that the attacks and vandalism were being orchestrated by Opposition leader as they were unable to digest the public welfare schemes launched by his government. "Without any devotion or fear for God, idols are being demolished. The Opposition wants to defame the government through these incidents. We need to carefully monitor our strategies," he said.

High alert, stepped up vigil in Andhra over temple attacks 

A series of incidents of vandalization of Hindu temples have taken place in different parts of Andhra Pradesh in the recent, resulting into a slugfest between the ruling YSR Congress Party and Opposition TDP and BJP.

A high alert has been sounded across the state amid continuing vandalism of Hindu temples by unknown miscreants. The issue took centre stage in the state politics after the vandalism of 400-year-old Lord Ram idol at Ramatheertham temple on January 1. The Chief Minister has ordered a CID inquiry into the Ramateertham incident and ordered for modernization of the temple.

State Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang has directed DIGs, Police Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Deputy SPs and the Station House Officers (SHOs) to constitute vigil at temples. He also said that police patrolling will be stepped up to monitor the movement of strangers at shrines and directed the police officers to arrange CCTV cameras at all places of worship with immediate effect.

On Sunday, another two such instances were reported in Vijayawada where an idol of Goddess Sita at Pandit Nehru Bus Station and an idol of Ketu at Sivalayam at Vuyyuru in Vijayawada outskirts were vandalised.

Assuring strict action against the culprits, Vijayawada Police Commissioner Bathini Srinivasulu said that a special team has been formed to examine the CCTV footage to identify the miscreants, adding that cases under sections 448, 427, 295 and 153 (a) of IPC have been registered against unknown persons.

On Tuesday, a video started circulating on social media showing an idol of Lord Ganesh partially damaged at a Ramalayam temple in a village in Visakhapatnam. The police, however, have said that nobody desecrated the idol, according to The News Minute.

BJP to hold statewide protest over temple attacks

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday staged a statewide protest over the desecration of Ram idol in Ramatheertham and its state unit chief Somu Veerraju.

On Tuesday, Veerraju and some other state BJP leaders were arrested by police in Vizianagaram to prevent them from undertaking 'Dharma Yatra' to Ramateertham temple to protest the desecration. 

Influential seer to take out yatra over attacks

Influential seer Chinna Jeeyar Swami has announced to undertake a yatra from January 17, visiting the temples that were vandalised in the recent past.

"From January 17, I will undertake a yatra to over 50 temples that were vandalised in Andhra Pradesh in the recent past," he said on Tuesday.