Choose between Bible and Gita: BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar stirs row

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the Tirupati Lok Sabha byelection, BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar stirred a controversy by asking voters “to choose between Bible and Bhagavad Gita”.

Bandi was speaking to the media while inducting Osmania University (OU) JAC leader Daruvu Ellanna into the BJP.

Responding to a question, he launched a scathing attack on the YSRC, stating that the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh has been referring to Tirumala as ‘rendu kondala’ (two hills), whereas BJP’s policy is ‘yedukondala vada Govinda Govinda’ (Govinda, Govinda, the Lord who resides in the seven hills).

“While Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is favouring a particular religion in Telangana, another religion is ruling the Andhra Pradesh State.

If Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy favours one religion, all the Hindus will turn as vote bank to repeat the result of Dubbaka byelection in Tirupati bypolls.”

Referring to the incidents of attacks on Hindu temples, he warned, “Don’t mistake the patience of Andhra Pradesh people as timidness, otherwise, you will have to pay for it. If the BJP karyakartas take to the streets and chant Vande Mataram, Jai Sriram, and Bharat Mata Ki Jai, the YSRCP will have to vacate their office.

The whole world is watching Tirupati; if dharma or adharma will win.” Asking the Hindu voters to turn into a vote bank, he alleged, “Do you want the party that humiliates Lord Venkateshwara Swamy or who worships the Lord? They will try to polarise in the name of caste, and religion as it happened in GHMC elections and Dubbaka. Please keep this in mind.” Alleging that TTD funds are being diverted, he said, “Where is TTD income going? There is a pressing need to purge the AP Endowment Department as it is diverting the funds to non-Hindu people.”