Maintain law, order in Andhra Pradesh or resign: BJP tells CM Jagan Mohan Reddy

VIJAYAWADA: Taking strong objection to the alleged inaction by the State government against a series of temple attacks, BJP national secretary and party co-incharge for AP Sunil Deodhar advised Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to step down if he couldn’t bring  law and order under control in the state. 

He also wondered why Jagan was not seeking resignation of Endowments Minister Velampalli Srinivas even as temples were being vandalised repeatedly.

In a statement on Sunday, Sunil Deodhar condemned the ‘desecration’ of Goddess Sita idol in Sitarama temple in Vijayawada and expressed shock over the government’s failure to protect Hindu sentiments. 

“A 40-year-old idol of Goddess Sita has been vandalised by anti-Hindu forces. In Ramatheertham, Lord Ram’s idol was beheaded. What is CM Jagan doing and what is his silence telling the country? Why don’t you seek resignation of your endowments minister? Law and order is a state subject and if you can’t handle it, step down,” he told Jagan.

Deodhar alleged that more than 150 incidents of damage to Hindu temples and their properties were reported under Jagan’s rule in the last 18 months. 

“Why are they happening only against Hindu temples? Why are you protecting those responsible? Why is a state sponsored proselytization there from your side?” he questioned.

The BJP senior leader also slammed TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for ‘shedding crocodile tears’. “When he (Naidu) was the CM, more than 50 temples were destroyed. He promised to reconstruct them, but in vain. Before elections, even you assured that the temples would be rebuilt, but you haven’t, till date,” Deodhar said, addressing Jagan. 

BJP state chief Somu Veerraju also criticised the YSRC government. He demanded immediate resignation of the endowments minister and sought an explanation from Jagan as to why the temple attacks were continuing unchecked. Somu said that the BJP-Jana Sena alliance would take out ‘Chalo Ramatheertham’  against the vandalisation on Tuesday.