Tensions ran high in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, as the state police set up barricades in many places and detained BJP and Jana Sena Party leaders who had started a 'Ramatheertha Dharma Yatra'. The yatra was an agitation called by the two alliance partners protesting the vandalism of the Lord Rama idol at the Sri Rama Swamy Devasthanam, located on the Bodikonda hilltop near Ramatheertham village of Nellimarla mandal in Vizianagaram district.
BJP state president Somu Veerraju was arrested on Tuesday when he tried to climb the Ramatheertham hill with supporters. BJP state secretary Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, JSP leader Sandeep Panchakarla and many others were also arrested by the police.
According to reports, Somu Veerraju who was accompanied by MLC PVN Madhav reached the hill despite the curbs placed in the route. However, the police did not give him permission to climb the hill.
Somu Veerraju told The Hindu that police action was not justified. “All the Hindu religion followers were shocked with the incident at historic Ramatheertham temple. That is why the party is very keen for the immediate arrest of the culprits,” he said.
The BJP, Jana Sena and TDP have been attacking the YSRCP government over the repeated vandalism in temples across the state. Though in many cases the police have been able to prove that the attacks on temples and idol vandalism was connected to black magic and loot, some cases remain unsolved.
Addressing the police force in a state meet on Monday, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy pointed fingers at the opposition. He repeatedly asked who would benefit from attacking temples and creating unrest.
As news trickled in of more BJP and JSP leaders being arrested, leaders of the BJP from other states too tweeted in support of the Ramatheertha dharma yatra.
These pictures speak volumes about the state of temples under YSRC regime in Andhra Pradesh. In the last 18 months, there had been nearly 127 incidents of attacks on temples and desecration of idols, hurting the sentiments of Hindu devotees. #SaveTemplesInAP @somuveerraju pic.twitter.com/53kKqTMKSb
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) January 5, 2021
Strongly condemn the arrest of Shri @somuveerraju Ji.
— V Muraleedharan (@VMBJP) January 5, 2021
The behaviour of the AP police, manhandling @BJP4India karyakartas is highly objectionable.
Stopping @BJP4Andhra & @JanaSenaOnline's #RamatheerthamDharmaYatra to #saveTemplesinAP showcases the hypocrisy of @ysjagan's Govt pic.twitter.com/gZWQTD223Y
Hindu temples are constantly being attacked in AP!
— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) January 5, 2021
Instead of arresting the goons who desecrate temples, incompetent CM @ysjagan is arresting those who raise voice against these systematic attacks!
AP Govt is taking a ride on the emotions of the Hindus!#SaveTemplesInAP pic.twitter.com/TEen4hOMFT
Watch TNM's video story on the issue of 'attacks' on temples in Andhra Pradesh