BJP seeks Shah’s intervention; Andhra Pradesh Police foil 'Chalo Amalapuram' plan

VIJAYAWADA: Alleging that the YSRC government was adopting an oppressive attitude against Hindus by resorting to ‘appeasement politics’, BJP MPs GVL Narasimha Rao and CM Ramesh sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention in directing the State government to act in an unbiased manner and not to target Hindu community and its temples. They also complained against the State government for ‘unleashing its machinery’ to ‘illegally detain and arrest’ its leaders, including party State president Somu Veerraju, who was put under ‘house arrest’ to stop the ‘Chalo Amalapuram’ programme. Apprising Shah of the 62-year-old Antarvedi chariot fire mishap and the ‘disappearance and disfigurement’ of three silver lion statues on Kanaka Durga temple’s chariot in Vijayawada, the Rajya Sabha MPs told the Union minister that 18 such incidents occurred in the past one year.

“The above acts of sacrilege are hurting the feelings of Hindus in Andhra Pradesh and outside. The State government has not shown the seriousness expected of it in investigating these cases involving Hindu sentiments, while it has shown urgency and alacrity in acting against alleged stone pelting on a church by some miscreants in Antarvedi,” they said, in their complaint. The alleged that 41 people were arrested under non-bailable sections for peacefully protesting against the Antarvedi fire incident.

They also informed that the YSRC government has recently quashed the FIR against Muslims in Guntur accused of attacking a police station.“We would like to request you to direct the State government to act in accordance with the Constitutional mandate and in an unbiased manner, and not to target Hindu community and its temples,” they said, in their representation to Amit Shah.

BJP leaders detained

The police thwarted the plans of the BJP leaders such as MLC PVN Madhav, who managed to reach Amalapuram on Friday, by taking them into custody. At least 26 people were taken into custody, who attempted to reach the Sub-Collector’s office to stage a protest. Though most BJP leaders were served notices to be restricted to their residences, leaders such as PVN Madhav managed to reach Amalapulam, the police said. Tension prevailed in the area for some time. The police force, deployed in large numbers, fortified the Amalapuram town and imposed Section 144. They also arranged picketing on the roads and blocked some leading from going to Amalapuram and across Konaseema region to prevent public gathering.

Leaders, including Somu Veerraju, Kanna Lakshminarayana, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, D Purandeswari were put under ‘house arrest’ since Thursday evening. Another BJP leader Ravela Kishore Babu along with Chinnam Ramakotaiah were taken into custody at Hanuman Junction, while they were on their way to Amalapuram and shifted them to Jana Sena leader Chalamsetty Ramesh’s home.