Temple attacks are hate crimes: GVL

VIJAYAWADA: Describing the repeated attacks on Hindu temples as ‘hate crimes’, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao questioned as to why the communal harmony committees constituted by the YSRC government has members from other religions when Hindu structures were being vandalised.  He also demanded the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, which claimed to have nabbed culprits involved in some of the temple attacks, to release case-wise details of the arrests made so far.

In a press conference at the party headquarters here on Friday, the BJP MP criticised the state government for preventing BJP leaders from visiting the temple in Ramatheertham in Vizianagaram district after allowing YSRC and TDP leaders. 

“The BJP strongly condemns the desecration of temples as people of Hindu faith all over the country are worried about the repeated attacks on Hindu temples and deities. We strongly condemn the State government’s inaction or rather its complicity in not acting on perpetrators of heinous acts of sacrilege. The government and its ministers claim to have nabbed some culprits. There have been 140 such attacks since YSRC came to power, but no arrests have been made so far.

We demand that the details of case-wise arrests be made public,” he said. “When the attacks are being carried out on Hindu temples, why did the government constitute a committee with members from other religions? And why are the heads of other faiths condemning these attacks? If not acted on, these would turn into communal hate crimes,” he claimed.Stating that the recent incident of beheading of idol in Ramatheertham caused “great anxiety, concern and pity” among various sections, GVL demanded that the government apprehend the culprits.

“We demand that the responsible be immediately arrested, but not political activists like us who went to the temple to pay a visit. The state government has misplaced priorities and its high-handed behaviour has already been reported to our national leadership, which is looking into the government’s insensitivity. We will launch a statewide agitation to expose anti-Hindu policies of the YSRC government,” he said. The MP questioned why the BJP was not allowed to visit the temple whereas TDP and YSRC leaders were permitted to inspect. “There appears to be a tacit understanding between both these parties,” he said.

IPS Assn condemns remarks against officers
Vijayawada: The AP IPS Association has condemned remarks of some political leaders ascribing and attributing caste, religion and regional connotations to All India Service officials.  In a release issued on Friday, AP IPS Association secretary Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said that the AIS officers are appointed under Article 312 of the Constitution of India with an objective of maintaining unity, integrity and stability of the nation and to promote its secular fabric. They function as per the law of the land and strive to ensure equality before law for all the citizens and do not discriminate on the basis of caste, religion, regional and other personal attributes, the note read. “The IPS Association of AP collectively condemns such motivated propaganda,” it said.