Amid temple attack allegations, Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan to meet Amit Shah in Delhi

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit New Delhi on Tuesday to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said sources. Although sources did not specify whether CM Jagan has been summoned to give an 'explanation', the sudden visit assumes significance as it comes after Andhra Pradesh's BJP leaders lodged complaints with the Centre against the Chief Minister alleging a spate of desecration of idols in temples in recent times.

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Amit temple attack allegations, CM Jagan to visit Delhi

Attacking Jagan Mohan reddy-led Andhra Pradesh state government over recent temple attacks, the state's BJP leaders alleged that the state police under the leadership of Director General of Police Gautam Sawang has not only "utterly failed" in protecting the temples and the idols but was also "intentionally, deliberately and carelessly issuing statements defaming and damaging the reputation of the party".

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Amid this conflict between Andhra's state government and saffron party, state BJP president Somu Veerraju threatened to take "appropriate action" against DGP over letters' claim that BJP workers were involved in the recent attacks on temples. Earlier, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao had spoked to Amit Shah and complained about the temple attacks and the "failure" of the state government in preventing the acts of vandalism and also in bringing the culprits to book. 

Andhra Pradesh's 'temple vandalism'

The state has seen a slew of attacks on temples - the latest being the desecration of Lord Ram idol in Sri Rama Swamy Devasthanam in Vizianagaram district. Hinting at an Opposition conspiracy behind the incidents, CM Jagan cited nine instances where the attack on the temples coincided with the launch of various welfare schemes by his government. The CM also described attacks on temples as "political guerrilla warfare" intended to defame Andhra Police and divert the attention of people from the work that his government is doing. Jagan has also constituted a 7-member State Level Communal Harmony Committee, along with district-level committees in a bid to tackle these incidents.

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Jagan said, “Who benefits from smashing idols of God? Who benefits from anarchy in temples and chapels? Who benefits from provoking emotions and committing violence? Who benefits from making false propaganda that hurts people's faith? Vested interests are stooping to the level of even desecrating temples to gain political mileage. They are trying to divert public attention from government programs by resorting to attacks on temples."

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On the other hand, Former Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu remarked, "In the last 19 months, over 120 attacks took place on temples. These attacks were going on according to a premeditated plan. Over 23 idols were demolished in six temples at Pithapuram. Durgamma temple was brought down in Guntur." BJP too has compared the current spate of attacks on temples to the destruction of Goa temples in the 16th century, alleging that the AP government was tacitly supporting a "particular religion".

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(With PTI inputs)