East Godavari District: Andhra Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party workers on Monday set ablaze an effigy of the state’s Civil Supplies minister Kodali Sri Venkateshwara Rao in the East Godavari district for his remarks over the recent attack on temples.
“The minister’s remarks were derogatory, damaging and they hurt Hindu sentiments. We demand the immediate removal of the minister from the cabinet,” the leader of the protest, former MLA M Ayyaji Vema said.
Visuals from the protest site showed BJP workers burning the effigy while police attempted to pacify the protesters. Slogans were also raised against the minister.
Earlier, while speaking to a regional channel, the civil supplies minister had said, “Why is there so much fuss over the theft of silver lions from the Durga temple chariot? It is hardly worth Rs six to seven lakhs.”
The minister was referring to stolen silver lions at Kanaka Durga temple at Vijayawada.
Regarding the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams declaration issue, Rao questioned why there were no such rules for churches and mosques and only for Hindu temples.