Andhra govt indulging in appeasement politics, says Lanka Dinakar

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lanka Dinakar on Sunday hit out at the Andhra Pradesh government Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for indulging in appeasement politics. He alleged that the state government is using taxpayers money for religious appeasement of minorities for their vote bank politics.

Hyderabad (Telangana): Hitting out at the Andhra Pradesh government led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for indulging in appeasement politics, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lanka Dinakar on Sunday alleged that the state government is using taxpayers money for religious appeasement of minorities for their vote bank politics. "We are against the attitude of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government in Andhra Pradesh pertaining to the appeasement of a certain section of minorities unconstitutionally since Reddy became the Chief Minister of the state," said Dinakar while speaking to media agency.

"Funds of taxpayer's are being used for religious appeasement of minorities for their vote bank politics. We never accept such kind of appeasement politics," he added. He further alleged that since Reddy became the Chief Minister, there have been massive conversions, grant in aid for the construction of Churches from the government exchequer. "Recently, Rs 12 lakh administrative sanction was released for the construction of Church at K Appaya Palle of Kadapa district which is the native district of the Chief Minister. Salaries have been given to Pastors and Maulanas (Muslim heads) are being sourced from the government. Funds have been provided for religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem by the government from taxpayer's money. We have clearly observed that Hindu temples are appearing as the revenue generation sources for the state government," he said.

Dinakar also recalled last year's incident when the chariot of the famous Sri Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Antarvedi of East Godavari district was gutted in a fire mishap in the early hours of September 6 and also the idol of Lord Rama that was allegedly desecrated at Ramateertham in Vizianagaram district here on December 29, last year. He said, "At the same time there has been no proper enquiry on the attack of Lord Sri Rama idol in Ramateertham and conspiracy has been drawn over Antarvedi Chariot fire damage. Lunatics across the state damaged idols of Hindu God and Goddess."

"Have all the lunatics formed an association to attack and damage the Hindu temples and idols? Why did the government not accept the Hindu employees to render services in Hindu temples, at least in temples like Tirumala, Srisailam, Bhavani Temple in Vijayawada, Simhachalam, Annavaram etc where more conversions are happening silently." He added, "On the other hand, the government is trying to divert the facts by showcasing the construction of temples from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and defunct the proposed temple in Amaravati from the actual proposal through Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) funds as their achievements from the government. However, these funds are not from the government exchequer and whole and sole property and rights of the TTD only whose main source of donations is from Hindu devotees. Not only the funds of TTD, each and every penny of the donation and thousands of acres of the land of Hindu Temples are under the Control of the Endowment Department of the State government."

Dinakar said, "It is unfortunate that 748.07 acres of land of Simhachalam temple had been removed from the list of temple assets to alienate the temple property to the outsiders. There is no security for temple lands after proposing the Vishakapatnam as executive capital of the State and that matter is pending in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh." Anguished by the acts of the government, he condemned the 'appeasement politics' and said, "The resources of Hindus have appeared as revenue-generating sources for the Andhra Pradesh government under the leadership of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and he is using those funds in his appeasement politics. It's time to demand that each and every rupee of any religion welfare and development shall be utilised from the sources of the respective religion only, but not from the taxpayer's money."

(ANI)