Endowments Minister V. Srinivas has asked TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu to refrain from politicising the burning of temple chariot at Antarvedi, and warned of strict action against those causing inconvenience to the devotees in the name of protests.

Addressing the media here on Saturday, Mr. Srinivas said the government had already ordered a CBI inquiry into the cause of the fire that gutted the chariot, and accused Mr. Naidu, BJP State president Somu Veerraju and JSP president Pawan Kalyan of raking up the issue, thereby spreading communal hatred.

Alleging that Mr. Naidu was playing the Hindutva card by taking advantage of the protests by various Hindu groups, the Minister pointed out that there were instances when the TDP leader participated in rituals by wearing shoes.