Two instances of temple vandalism were reported from Andhra Pradesh on Friday. The incidents of vandalism triggered public outrage and demands from the opposition parties for stringent action. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy promised that the desecrations will not be tolerated.
In one instance, Lord Subrahmanya's idol in Sri Vigneshwara temple in Rajahmundry was found to be desecrated. In another reported incident, a temple, Sri Komalamma Paadaalu on Paderu Ghat road in Visakhapatnam agency area was found damaged on Friday.
Police have registered the cases and have initiated investigations. The vandalism is suspected to have taken place on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
The latest incidents came to light even as the desecration of 400-year-old idol of Lord Ram in Ramatheertham temple of Vizianagaram district triggered tensions. The priests of Sita Lakshmana Kodandarama on Tuesday found the doors of the ancient temple broken. The idol in the sanctum sanctorum was beheaded and the severed portion was recovered from the nearby pond the next day.
Police have formed five teams to probe the incident and nab the culprits.
These are not the only incidents. Last week, Lord Krishna temple in Darsi town was desecrated. Devotees lodged a complaint after finding flesh inside the temple and bloodstains on the walls on December 22.
Police said it was an act of mischief by a drunk man, and not by any political party or group.
In September, a 'Nandi' idol was vandalised in a temple in Chittoor district. The police suspect that the vandals had broken open the idol after rumours that gold had been poured into the idol.
A century old chariot parked at ancient Antarvedi Lakshmi Narasimha Temple premises in East Godavari district was found burnt in suspicious circumstances.
Strongly condemning the incidents, opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have blamed YSR Congress Party government for negligence.
The BJP called for a 'Chalo Ramatheertham' programme on Friday to protest against the repeated desecration of temples.
The incidents led to a war of words between ruling and opposition parties. YSR Congress Party Rajya Sabha member Vijay Sai Reddy said he suspected the role of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu in the Ramatheertham incident. He alleged that the TDP leaders resorted to the act in a bid to divert the attention of the people.
Cabinet minister Botcha Satyanarayana rubbished the allegations that Hindu temples were under threat during the YSRCP regime and slammed the BJP for making baseless allegations against the government for political gain.
BJP secretary and state co-in-charge Sunil Deodhar warned that Jagan Mohan Reddy government will have to pay a huge price for desecrations. He stated that every attack on temples in the state is testing Hindus' patience. The leader pointed out that no arrests were made so far in the vandalism of Uttarandhra Ayodhya temple.
Chandrababu Naidu claimed that over 120 attacks took place on temples during the last 19 months and over 23 idols were demolished recently in six temples at Pithapuram.
Jana Sena led by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan demanded a CBI probe into the series of incidents of attacks on temples, desecration of idols and destruction of temple chariots.
Rebel MP of YSRCP K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to depute a central team to investigate incidents of attacks on temples and 'bring to book the culprits including the functionaries of the government in the state.'
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday said perpetrators of attacks on temples will not be spared and directed police to take stringent action against the vandals.
He termed the destruction of idols atrocious and said god will certainly punish those who keep messing with temples and idols. He directed the police to step up surveillance to prevent attacks on temples.