- Some legislators not sparing even the temples for easy money
- They are creating obstacles for their pound of flesh even in temple affairs
The news that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is planning to change MLAs in 50 assembly segments may be true when one heard about the pain of Chinthakuta village in Putloor mandal in Singanamala assembly segment in Anantapur district.
Also read: “May Be All ‘Missed Calls’ Are Not Ours”
The people of Chinthakunta have been moving earth and heaven to lay foundation stone for Kalabhairava temple in their village. The people held a gramasabha on June 11 and decided to lay foundation stone to the temple on June 14. The programme did not take place due to the non-cooperation of local MLA J. Padmavathi. The reason is – the locals have failed to meet the financial demands of the legislator and her husband Sambasiva Reddy. The locals led by CS Kulasekhar Reddy, who is a devotee of Kalabhairava, took the issue to the notice of state government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and Minister for Energy, Forest, Environment, Science and Tenhnology, Mines and Geology Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, but in vain. The MLA assured them (Sajjala and Peddireddy) to solve the issue and acted against their wish.
The Swayabhu Kalabhairava Temple Committee chairman CS Kulasekhara Reddy said, “We the locals contributed Rs 12 lakh fund for the temple construction and the state government sanctioned Rs 48 lakh for it under common good fund. The local MLA is creating obstacles to lay foundation stone to the temple. We want the Chief Minister to intervene in it”.
In the second incident, the people of Venkatapuram in Bukkarayasamudram mandal in the same Singanamala constituency faced hardships at the hands of ruling party legislator in opening of the temple of ‘Atthakullappa’, deity (kuladaivam) of Kuruba community. The issue was taken to the notice of Gorantla Madhav, who belongs to Kuruba community and YSRCP MP from Hindupur Lok Sabha constituency. The ruling party legislator did not intervene in the temple issue after Madhav warned of staging dharna for the temple opening.
Also read: Why is Ramgopal Varma so interested in CBI investigation in Viveka’s murder case?
The issues pertaining to the religion are sensitive and the legislators, particularly of the ruling party, should be cautious about them. The YSRCP is allegedly facing such nuisance in 80 assembly segments. Illegal sand and mineral mining is rampant at least in 50 assembly segments in Andhra Pradesh. Some of the legislators demand money to solve the problems of the people.
The legislators, who are doubtful about getting YSRCP ticket in 2024 elections, are collecting money from traders in their segments. T Suryaprakasa Rao, a YSRCP activist in Cheerala said, “The Chief Minister should check such activities of party legislators. The party will face a blow in these segments if Jagan would not check their illegal activities”. (eom)
Also read: Are attempts made to distance Saint Ramadas from Bhadradri Rama?
