Temple attacks: Political conspiracy or criminal synchronicity?

This is exactly what is happening in Andhra Pradesh, and a definite conspiracy theory is gaining ground to defame the YSRCP Government in Andhra Pradesh and Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

For over a year, the conspirators are busy working round the clock. The suspicious incidents happened whenever the State government launched its flagship programmes.

The first incident was reported on November 14, 2019, the day when the Chief Minister has launched Schools: Nadu Nedu (Schools: Then and Now), transforming the schools on par with private and corporate schools. The same day, reports of a temple being desecrated were reported from the Guntur district. A section of the media immediately latched onto the incident and went overdrive while ignoring the prestigious programme of the State government. It was not only a prestigious programme but also aimed at the welfare of lakhs of school-going children in the state.

On Jan 15, 2020, the Chief Minister has announced setting up a price stabilization fund with Rs 3000 crore and within a week idols were damaged in a temple at Pithapuram in East Godavari district. The third incident was reported at Rompicherla temple on February 11, 2020, three days after the State government inaugurated Disha Police Station for women, first of its kind in the country.

On September 7, the YSRCP government has launched a nutritious food programme. On September 6, the chariot of Venugopalaswamy temple at Antherwedi caught fire. On September 11, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched YSR Aasara, a pension scheme, and two days later silver lion idols of Durga temple at Vijayawada went missing.

And the list goes on. Rumors were deliberately spread on social media stating that a Cross symbol was etched on Tirumala Hills. The latest incident of desecration of lord Rama idol at Ramatheertham in Vizianagaram district on the very day, the chief minister was distributing house sites to the beneficiaries.

Though these incidents were initially construed as stray incidents, over a period of time, a systematic pattern clearly emerged indicating that a conspiracy is being hatched to defame the government on one hand and on the other to ensure that the good work being done by the State government goes unnoticed in the melee. Seeds of doubts are being sown in the minds of people and now it is out in the open that all is being done to project the YSRCP government as anti-Hindu and hence temples are being attacked.

On its part, the State police department is doing its bit to identify the culprits. But, the task is not easy as almost all the temples where attacks occurred were not having CCTVs and wherever there were CCTVs were there, they were tampered with. Taking these incidents seriously, the State government even handed over the Chariot burning case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has taken up the matter very seriously. Participating in the inauguration of Police Duty Meet today, the Chief Minister called upon the people to think wisely. "Who will benefit from desecrating idols? Who will benefit from vandalizing temples and places of worship?

Who will benefit from provoking sentiments and causing violence? Who will benefit from spreading rumors and false propaganda? The Chief Minister asked.

He pointed out that all such incidents are happening in remote and isolated places at night. "They indulge in an unlawful activity and the next day, they would circulate it on social media and their crony media houses. I wonder whether these people can be called humans and do they have any humanity. This is political guerilla warfare and the State government and police should put an end to this nuisance," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister was referring to the main Opposition TDP and its President N Chandrababu Naidu putting all efforts make it a political and religious issue in the State which is not known for the religious divide.

A few hours after the Chief Minister made his mind clear; Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas held a review meeting with department officials and asked them to work in tandem with police to ensure such incidents do not recur. He pointed out that TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who is trying to politicize the issue is responsible for demolishing 48 temples during Krishna Pushkaralu.

During the same event, the Minister pointed out that the 28 devotees lost lives in the stampede caused by the publicity mongering Chandrababu Naidu, who was the chief minister then.

Another senior minister Botsa Satyanarayana blamed TDP for the incidents and said that the Government would expose the conspirators very soon.

Home Minister M Sucharitha too blamed the conspirators who are jealous of the State Government and Chief Minister.

Director-General of Police D Gautam Sawang has alerted the police force to intensify patrolling at temples and places of worship. No one will be spared should miscreants try to create disturbances in the name of religion.

Meanwhile, the police have taken over two dozen persons including some TDP functionaries into custody in the Ramatheetham incident. Besides, a special team led by an officer of the rank of additional DGP was set up to review all these incidents and bring the conspirators to book. The latest incident has been referred to CID for investigation.