Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday participated in a cow puja in Narasaraopeta in Guntur district on the eve of Kanuma, when Kamdhenu puja (cow puja) is conducted at temples across the state.
The Chief Minister arrived at 11.30 am from Tadepalli in a traditional attire, along with his colleagues.Priests conducted the puja for 108 cows and the CM offered cotton clothes and kumkum and turmeric along with garlands in the ritual.
Speaking at the event, the CM wished for a good future to the attendees of the event and people who are watching it across the state.
This massive event came amid the state government facing accusations of "accommodating" a rise in alleged attacks on Hindu places of worship in Andhra Pradesh.
Keeping with the government’s move to hold prayers, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) also organised a massive cow puja event in over 2600 temples in the state.
The state Endowments Department has also decided to promote the significance of cows and its products by conducting competitions for students.
Jagan had earlier hit back at opposition parties on the temples row, and said that such incidents were being engineered to malign the government. The Chief Minister has already ordered for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
A 16-member SIT, under the supervision of senior IPS officer GVG Ashok Kumar, Additional Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, has been tasked to probe the alleged attacks on temples in the state. Other agencies like the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) are aiding the probe.
Prior to the puja, Jagan had visited different stalls at the Municipal Stadium in the town along with Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, Housing Minister Cherukuvada Sri Ranganadha Raju, Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita and TTD Chairman YV Subbareddy, besides other senior YSRCP leaders.