TIRUPATI: The ongoing war of words between the
Andhra Pradesh BJP
leaders and the YSR Congress Party further intensified after
Kola Anand
, the BJP functionary who contested from the Srikalahasti assembly seat, alleged that the YSRC's Srikalahasti legislator Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy had turned the world renowned
Srikalahasti temple
into his party office.
Speaking to reporters in Tirupati on Monday, the BJP functionary alleged that kick-backs from illegitimate collections from the world renowned Lord Shiva temple were being sent to the YSRC legislator's residence in Srikalahasti.
"It is unfortunate to see the ruling party legislator himself is damaging the very sanctity of the age-old shrine thronged by millions of devotees annually. The MLA is acting in such a manner as if the temple is his personal property. Temples and religious institutions should not get embroiled in politics or political controversies. But the YSRC legislator has made Srikalahasti temple the centre-stage for his political activities which cannot be allowed to go on as it has hurt the sentiments of devotees of Lord Shiva", Anand said.
Whenever, the BJP activists have questioned the deviations noticed at the temple or related to other government activities in the town, the YSRC legislator has targeted the BJP functionaries using police power, Anand said.
"Fake cases are being slapped against BJP functionaries on the advice of the local MLA. Despite the BJP lodging a complaint with the Srikalahasti police and the Tirupati SP, there has been no action so far from the police department," he said.
"Unable to digest the harassment the BJP activists are subjected to by the ruling YSRCP MLA and the local police, I took up the issue to the notice of Prime minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah and told them that the BJP activists are being politically victimised by the ruling party in Srikalahasti assembly constituency," added the BJP functionary.
Kola Anand warned the YSRCP legislator Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy and other YSRC local leaders to mend their ways and demanded the police department not to dance to the tunes of the ruling party but to act in a fair manner. He further stated that if the YSRC leaders continue to target the BJP, the Union government will eventually intervene and the ruling party leaders will have a tough time ahead.