BJP MP raises Andhra 'temple attacks' issue in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, Feb 3 BJP member GVL Narasimha Rao on Wednesday raised in the Rajya Sabha the issue of alleged attacks on several temples in Andhra Pradesh and sought suitable action by the Home Ministry in the matter.

He claimed that 140 such "attacks on temples and symbols of Hinduism" have been recorded in the past many months but the Andhra Pradesh government was not taking the issue seriously.

"The incidents of attacks on temples in different parts of the state have increased in the last one and a half years. The Andhra government should identify the culprits and take stringent action against them, but I also demand action from the Home Ministry," the BJP leader said.

Rao, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, said that a 70-year-old chariot at Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple was burnt which hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community.

He also raised the incident of sabotage at Ramatheertham temple in Vijayanagaram district of Andhra Pradesh.

Tension had prevailed after the chariot was found burnt at the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in September 2020. The BJP had alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was working with an anti-Hindu mindset.

( With inputs from IANS )