Condemning the arrest of senior BJP leaders, including party State president Somu Veerraju and MLC P.V.N. Madhav, in Vizianagaram district while they were on their way to visit the Lord Rama temple at Ramateerthan on Thursday, former party MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju said it was undemocratic, and demanded that the Chief Minster step down owning moral responsibility.
Mr. Raju, who was put under preventive custody at his house in the city, said the leaders were going to the temple to find out what actually happened in view of the sentiments of the Hindus.
Miscreants had vandalised the 400-year-old idol of Lord Rama at the temple about 10 days ago, following which Ramateertham made headlines with leaders of various parties trying to visit the temple.
Mr. Raju questioned why the government was not allowing only the leaders and workers of the BJP and the JSP to the temple.
YSRCP Rajya Sabha member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy made an unscheduled visit to the temple hours before Leader of the Opposition and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s visit on Saturday last.
“The BJP and the JSP respect every faith and religion. We are not here to create unrest. Our request seeking permission from the RDO and the District collector has not been accepted,” Mr. Raju said.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had visited Ramateertham one day after the incident and had not spoken a single word on it later. “Now, he has constituted a CID inquiry, which is nothing but a farce,” he said.
‘Huge scam’
Referring to the patta distribution programme, Mr. Raju said it was a huge scam as lands were purchased after jacking up their prices abnormally.
