TDP questions pastor’s ‘link’ with government 

VIJAYAWADA: Finding fault with state police chief Gautam Sawang and the State government for “framing” their party activists in attacks on temples, TDP leaders took to social media questioning the links of a pastor — Praveen Chakravarthy, who was reportedly arrested by CID for his controversial remarks in a video released seven years ago — with the government. 

Former minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa claimed that all the attacks on Hindu temples were done under the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He questioned the link between the arrested pastor and the ministers, including Kurasala Kanna Babu. The TDP leader questioned as to why the DGP has not spoken anything related to the pastor’s arrest. Another TDP leader Ch Ayanna Patrudu also questioned the silence of the YSRC leaders on the issue. TDP leader K Kala Venkata Rao demanded that the police department come clean on pastor Praveen’s issue and explain what action was initiated against him. 

Meanwhile, BJP national secretary and state co-incharge Sunil Deodhar alleged that the State government was “saving real culprits” of temple attacks and was booking BJP cadre. “That too, to cover up serious crimes of Pastor Praveen,” he alleged. He lashed out at TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu as well. “Was Naidu sleeping when under his rule pastor Praveen was converting 699 villages into ‘Christ Villages’? Why Hindus should believe this ‘U-Turn Babu’ who never said Jai Shri Ram before his Ramteertham visit?” Deodhar tweeted.