Andhra DGP assures temple vandalism incidents ‘isolated’ amid BJP criticism for CM Jagan

Allaying fears of communal tensions, Andhra Pradesh DGP Goutam Sawang on Monday, reaffirmed that 19 incidents of temple vandalism in the past three weeks were isolated events. Sawang asked citizens to not link the events and act only on facts. He added that of the 19 incidents - the accused had been arrested in connection to 12 cases, while the remaining will be nabbed soon.   

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Temple incidents not linked: Andhra DGP

YSRCP's Involvement in attacks on Hindu temples in Andhra is utter Lie: Party spokesperson

Recent temple vandalism incidents in Andhra

The latest Andhra temple vandalism occurred on Sunday when a 'Nandi' idol was reportedly vandalised in a temple in Chittoor district. Police allege that the vandals had broken open the idol based on rumours that gold had been poured into the Nandi idol. On finding nothing, the men left the temple, say police. The investigation is underway.

The first major incident which grabbed the spotlight was when the wooden chariot of the famous Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Antarvedi in East Godavari district was gutted in a fire mishap in the wee hours of September 6. The 40-feet high chariot made of teak wood, which caught fire in the temple shed at the premises, led to massive protests by BJP and TDP. Amid intense criticism of religious intolerance, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy had ordered a CBI inquiry into the incident. 

Other temple vandalism incidents include - damage of a Nandi idol in Kasi Visweswara Swamy temple at Makkapeta village in Krishna village, a Hanuman idol in Yeleswaram temple, and theft of "three silver lions of sacred Radha” in Vijayawada’s Kanaka Durga temple, as per reports. Police have registered cases under all events and have warned people to not 'spin stories' as it would lead to communal disharmony.

Wooden chariot of famous temple in AP gutted in fire

Opposition allege intolerence, YSRCP denies

After the Antarvedi chariot fire, hundreds of activists from the Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad, Haindava Sakthi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh protested outside the site, while the state BJP and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party called an 11-hour hunger strike demanding a probe into the incident. Joining hands with the saffron party, TDP too alleged that the YSRCP did not treat all religions “equally”, alluding to the Christian CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Recently, keeping in tradition to CMs, Jagan visited the Tirumala temple in Tirupati, for the nine-day annual Brahmotsavam festival, when the most recent 'vandalism' took place. Reports state that now the BJP has asked Jagan to sign a faith declaration form. In retaliation, YSRCP  spokesperson Ambati Rambabu on Thursday said the opposition's implication about YSRCP involvement in the temple attacks is an 'utter lie', alleging TDP chief  Chandrababu Naidu's hand in the Vijaywada vandalism.

Andhra Pradesh: BJP demands judicial inquiry in Antarvedi incident; slams YSRCP's inaction