: The issue of demolition of five temples in the One Town area of the city has turned into a major controversy.
While the BJP has protested the demolitions by the TDP government, the religious trusts have made it that they will not extend any cooperation to the government during Krishna Pushkaram if it does not retrace its steps.Sensing the angry mood, the government on Sunday morning constituted a committee consisting of five Ministers which promptly announced that all the demolished temples would be re-built. The committee also resolved not to disturb any other temple even by an inch.
As far as the Gosala situated on Arjuna Veedhi is concerned, the committee decided to discuss the issue of its restoration with those managing its affairs.
Addressing media persons after an urgent meeting, Endowments Minister P. Manikyala Rao said there was no intention to dismantle the famous Vinayaka temple on Canal Road and the Sri Vijayeswara Swamy at Kanaka Durga Nagar, and admitted that the manner in which the historic Seethammavari Padalu, Saneeswara Swamy and Dakshina Mukha Anjaneya Swamy and two other temples in close proximity there were razed to the ground, hurt people’s sentiments.
The committee resolved to rebuild those temples at their original locations in such a way that movement of traffic is not obstructed.
‘Officials to blame’
Mr. Manikyala Rao said, “The proposed demolition of temples should have been duly notified and discussed with the respective trusts or committees but that did not happen as the officials concerned acted in haste without pondering over the consequences.”
Agriculture Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao said the intention behind demolishing the temples was to widen roads for the pushkaram but there was apparently negligence on the part of officials. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has since ordered that the demolished temples should be restored and better structures built at the same places.
Taking a tough line on the demolitions, the Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Samithi said no Hindu charitable institution would extend cooperation for the pushkarams. Addressing a press conference here, Siva Swami of Siva Kshetram, Mahant Yamunadas Digambar of Hanuman temple, and Konakalla Vidyadhara Rao said elected representatives were behaving like rowdies and goondas.
“They have no respect for Hindus and their sentiments. The government remained a mute spectator as if it was supporting the deeds of Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and other elected representatives who played an active role, they said, adding, “we demand that the CM tender an apology. We also demand the resignation of the MP.”
Earlier in the day, mild tension prevailed at the Gosala as BJP and TDP activists entered into heated arguments even as BJP senior leaders Somu Veerraju and Kanna Lakshminarayana pledged support to those opposing the demolition of temples.
Mr. Veerraju accused the MP of warning the temple committees against offering resistance. The unrest was triggered by the presence of TDP MLC Buddha Venkanna, who later said it was all the handiwork of a former MLA who spread rumours that the Vinayaka and Vijayeswara Swamy temples would also be brought down, to protect his personal interests.
As the situation threatened to go out of control, the BJP leaders were escorted out by the police.
At a separate press conference, Mr. Kesineni Srinivas advised the BJP leaders not to politicise the issue and questioned how demolition of temples in the city was wrong when hundreds of temples were razed to the ground in the Prime Minister’s home State Gujarat and some other BJP-ruled States.
