Jagan slams NDA regime in Andhra for temple demolition

     Amaravati, Mar 27 (PTI) Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday criticised the NDA coalition government in the state, claiming that the Hindu religion is suffering under its rule due to the demolition of Kasinayana Kshetra.
     Incidentally, Kasinayana Kshetra, located in Nallamala Forest in Nandyal district was recently razed to the ground over alleged violation of the Forest Department rules.
     Though the Centre ordered a halt to Kasinayana Kshetra’s construction on August 7, 2023 in forest land, Reddy said it was the erstwhile YSRCP government that intervened and sought exemption for 12.98 hectares of forest land.
     "During our tenure, we ensured the protection of temple lands but within months of this government's rule, a sacred temple was demolished under their watch and now they must answer if this is how they safeguard Hindu Dharma" said Reddy in a press release.
     Accusing the TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh of reversing this progress, Reddy claimed that the temple was demolished under official supervision, adding that the orders from the collector and RDO were executed at the behest of the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
     Calling the demolition a barbaric attack on the Hindu religion, Reddy challenged the government to respond with facts.
     The YSRCP supremo accused the NDA government of hypocrisy, citing the Tirumala laddu controversy and stampede as further failures in safeguarding temples’ sanctity and questioned the Deputy Chief Minister’s silence on this issue.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)