'Evil forces want to destabilise state govt, conspiring to disturb communal harmony', says Andhra Minister

As the Andhra Pradesh government has formed communal harmony committees in view of attacks on temples, State Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on Friday said that a few evil forces want to "destabilise and defame the state government and are conspiring to disturb communal harmony".

On Thursday, the state government formed a state-level communal harmony committee and district level communal harmony committees, informed state Chief Secretary Adityanath Das.

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita, MA&UD Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, Endowments Minister Velampalli Srinivasa Rao, Minority Welfare Minister Amzath Basha addressed a joint press conference on the 'Communal Harmony Committees' today.

"Our government has been working for the welfare and development of all the cross-sections of the society for the past 1.5 years. Few evil forces want to destabilise and defame our government and are conspiring to disturb communal harmony. Such forces are attacking temples in remote areas at odd hours," said Satyanarayana.

"Our government is working for the welfare of one and all, beyond caste or religion. Evil forces want to deviate public attention from such welfare activities. In this wake, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued a GO to constitute the state-level communal harmony committee. CS and DGP will head that committee. Similarly, district-level communal harmony committees in all 13 districts with collector and SP as the heads," he added.

These committees include representatives of all religions. They will work for establishing and stabilising communal harmony in the state, Botsa stated.

TTD priest Venugopala Deekshitulu said: "At present people of all religions are living in a harmonious manner. We have to continue that."

Meanwhile, Islamic priest Syed Ahmed Peer Shahmiri said that this government's precautionary measure of setting up these committees is a good attempt.

"I appeal to people of all religions to live in a peaceful manner. We are all like different flowers in a bouquet of India. Our country is a land of love and peace. We have to progress with love and peace. No religion preaches violence or hatred," said Shahmiri.

( With inputs from ANI )