Seer Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy to begin yatra to temples vandalised in Andhra

From January 17, Seer Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy will undertake a yatra to over 50 temples that were allegedly vandalised in Andhra Pradesh recently.

While addressing media yesterday, he said "Security of temples in Andhra Pradesh seems to be full of lapses. Antarvedi chariot incident to Ramateertham incident proves the same. Security of temples has become a matter of grave concern. Primarily 50 major such incidents took place."

"After the completion of 'Dhanurmasa', we will visit all those places. All temples need to install CCTV cameras. It is the responsibility of the endowments department to take care of the security at temples. But there are many lapses in the department. There is a need of course correction," he added.

Seer Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy further said that negotiations will be done with all concerned people so that some amicable solution can be found.

"Had such attacks taken place on a church or mosque, the earth would have been shattered by now. But as these attacks took place on Hindu temples, barely any action was taken. The government should also have responded faster. People's sentiments should be respected and protected," he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has ordered a probe by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police into the incidents of alleged vandalisation of temples and desecration of idols of various deities. He has asked the police authorities not to spare anybody found guilty.

The idol of Lord Rama was allegedly desecrated at Ramateertham in Vizianagaram district here on December 29 following which a group of BJP workers staged a protest on the temple premises.

On December 31, Andhra Pradesh Police DGP Gautam Sawang had said that investigation is going on in the incident of desecration of Lord Rama idol at Ramateertham.

In a similar incident, the chariot of the famous Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Antarvedi of East Godavari district was allegedly gutted in a fire mishap on September 6, 2020

( With inputs from ANI )