TDP MLC Mantena Satyanarayana Raju has demanded the resignation of Endowments Minister Velampalli Srinivasa Rao owning moral responsibility for the “government’s failure” to prevent attacks on 127 temples in the State and initiate action against the culprits.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr. Raju said the Minister failed to visit Ramateertham immediately on coming to know of the desecration of Lord Rama’s idol at the 400-year-old temple and order a thorough inquiry into the incident.
The Endowments Minister had no answer when silver lions on the chariot belonging to the Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada went missing, he alleged.
“The Minister has remained a mute spectator even as desecrations continued unabated at the temples in the last 19 months,” Mr. Raju alleged.
‘Withdraw remarks’
He demanded that the Minister withdraw the “highly objectionable” remarks he made against TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
“Mr. Srinivasa Rao has no moral standing to criticise Mr. Naidu. Thousands of acres of temple lands are slipping into the hands of private persons ever since Mr. Srinivasa Rao became the Endowments Minister. His inefficiency is causing great harm to the Hindu temples. He no longer deserves to continue as Endowments Minister,” Mr. Raju said.
