Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said temples in remote locations were under attack and the attacks occurred at midnight.
A day after temple idols were vandalized in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday attacked the opposition for allegedly discrediting his government. Without naming the parties, Jagan rhetorically asked who would benefit from damaging Hindu idols and temples. His comments come after opposition parties, led by the BJP, have been staging protests against the YSRCP government accusing it of failing to protect Hindu temples.
“Who will benefit from damaging idols and temples? Who will benefit from atrocities in places of worship? Who will benefit from resorting to violence through instigation? Who will score if it hurts people’s feelings and fake campaigns? Who will benefit from a poisonous campaign? People should think about all this: for what purpose and targeting whom are they being done. They are doing those things to tarnish the government’s image when we do a good job, ”said the Chief Minister.
On Sunday, the state reported two more incidents of temple idol vandalism, following which Director General of State Police (DGP) D Sarwang increased the vigil at state temples. Jagan alleged Monday that temples across the state are being targeted to damage the reputation of the state government.
The Chief Minister spoke to the media at the start of the first Andhra Pradesh police business meeting since the bifurcation of the state. At the guard meeting, the police showcase the department’s achievements on national and international stages. The Chief Minister also launched the IGNITE event, a symposium on cybersecurity and women’s safety.
Speaking at the launch, Jagan said the attack on the temples in Andhra Pradesh was akin to guerrilla warfare. He noted that most of the temples in the state are under the Revenue Department and that temples in remote locations were under attack and the attacks occurred at midnight.
“We are seeing people (vandals) going to an inner temple when there is no human presence around and damaging the idols of the gods, then the Opposition creates uproar later and the yellow media creates more chaos,” alleged Jagan, adding that the The public should focus on who benefits from such crimes.
The Chief Minister claimed that he has reached a situation where there is no fear or devotion to God. “People have come to do politics in the name of God. Are they human at all? They do not fear God or have devotion, ”said Jagan.
The Chief Minister said CCTV cameras have been installed in more than 20,000 temples across the state. Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) D Gautam Sawang issued a high alert on the state’s temples on Sunday.
On January 1, an idol of Lord Ram in the Ramatheertham temple was found smashed in the Vizianagaram district. On Sunday, an idol of the Hindu deity Sita was found smashed at the Pandit Nehru bus station in Vijayawada. In another case, a Ketu idol was vandalized at Sivalayam in Vuyyuru on the outskirts of Vijayawada. Sawang also said that in 2020, there were about 228 cases of attacks on temples in Andhra Pradesh.
READ: High alert in Andhra Pradesh as two more temples vandalized in the state
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