A day after temple idols were vandalised in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday took a veiled dig at the opposition for allegedly bringing disrepute to his government. Without naming parties, Jagan rhetorically asked who will gain out of damaging Hindu idols and temples. His comments come after opposition parties, led by the BJP have been staging protests against the YSRCP government accusing it of not protecting Hindu temples.
“Who will gain out of damaging the idols and temples? Who will benefit from atrocities on places of worship? Who will gain by resorting to violence through instigation? Who will score by hurting people’s sentiments and fake campaigns? Who will gain out of a venomous campaign? People should think of all this - for what purpose and by targeting whom these are all being done. They are doing such things to tarnish the image of the government when we do any good work,” said the Chief Minister.
On Sunday, the state reported two more incidents of temple idols being vandalised, following which the State Director General of Police (DGP) D Sarwang increased vigil across temples in the state. Jagan on Monday alleged the temples across the state are being attacked to damage the reputation of the state government.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the launch of the first duty meet by the Andhra Pradesh police since the bifurcation of the state. At the duty meet, the police showcase the department's achievement at national and international stages. The Chief Minister also launched the event IGNITE, a symposium on cybersecurity and women safety.
Speaking at the launch, Jagan said the attack on temples in Andhra Pradesh was akin to guerilla warfare. He pointed out that most temples in the state come under the Revenue Department and that temples at remote locations were being targeted and the attacks happened at midnight.
“We are seeing people (vandals) going to an interior temple when there is no human presence around and damaging the idols of gods then the Opposition creating ruckus later and yellow media creating further chaos,” alleged Jagan who added that the public must focus on who benefits out of such crimes.
The Chief Minister alleged that it has reached such a situation where there is no fear or devotion for god. “People have come to take mileage by doing politics in the name of god. Are they humans at all, they don't fear god nor have devotion,” hit out Jagan.
The Chief Minister said that CCTV cameras have been installed in over 20,000 temples across the state. The Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) D Gautam Sawang on Sunday sounded a high alert across temples in the state.
On January 1, an idol of Lord Ram at Ramatheertham temple was found vandalised in Vizianagaram district. On Sunday, an idol of the Hindu deity Sita was found vandalised at Pandit Nehru Bus Station in Vijayawada. In another instance, an idol of Ketu was vandalised at Sivalayam at Vuyyuru in Vijayawada outskirts. Sawang also said that in 2020, around 228 cases of attacks on temples were registered in Andhra Pradesh.