BJP to hold cleanliness drive at temples to mark Ayodhya temple consecration

The BJP has decided to organise cleanliness campaign from January 14-22 in pilgrim centres, places of worship, Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy said.

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy on Thursday said his party would engage in various activities, including cleanliness drives in temples, to mark the consecration of Lord Ram temple at Ayodhya on January 22.

Addressing a press conference, Reddy hit out at the Congress government in the state over its 'Praja Palana' programme of accepting applications from people with regard to implementation of the party's six poll 'guarantees' and also over the Kaleshwaram project.

Speaking of the consecration of the Ayodhya Ram temple, he said it is not an ordinary temple but a "modern symbol of our culture".

"It is also a symbol of unwavering faith of all sections of society in the country, especially the Hindus. It will become a symbol of our national spirit. It is a temple that will give confidence to the future generations. It is a temple that eradicates the wickedness of foreigners who attempted to hurt our culture, traditions, customs, unity and faith by attacking our country. It also bring us out of slavish mentality," he said.

The BJP has decided to organise cleanliness campaign from January 14-22 in pilgrim centres, places of worship, the Union Minister said.

BJP activists would do 'shram daan' (voluntary contribution to physical activity) in cleanliness drive. Local residents would be motivated to participate in the programme. Live telecast of the event at Ayodhya would be arranged in villages or localities in urban areas under the leadership of the local temple managing committees.

Other activities include 'Deeparadhana' (worship by lighting lamps) and distribution of 'prasadam' at temples after the consecration event at Ayodhya and lighting 'Ram Jyotis' at homes.

Slamming the Congress government in Telangana over the programme of accepting applications from people with regard to implementation its six poll 'guarantees', he alleged that the exercise appears to be 'politically motivated'. If the government was sincere, there is every opportunity for it to implement the promises of Congress without the need for filling up the application forms, he claimed.

"This is nothing but a process to delay the implementation of the 'guarantees' by creating confusion among people," he alleged. Why should applications be collected when the entire data of all the schemes is with the state government? the state BJP president asked.

The state government is conducting the 'Praja Palana' public outreach programme through which applications can be filled out by people seeking to benefit from the six poll guarantees from December 28 to January 6.

Referring to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's reported comments that the "Modi medicine" is past its expiry date, the BJP leader said "Modi medicine" is a "sanjeevini" that can influence not just the country but the world.

"Modi ji's medicine does not expire as long as your Rahul Gandhi is there. The Rahul Gandhi's medicine has not been accepted. The formula of Rahul Gandhi medicine was rejected (by people)," he said. BJP achieved spectacular victories in the recent polls to five states under the leadership of PM Modi but Congress lost power in two states, he said.

On the state government's decision to order a judicial inquiry into the alleged corruption in Kaleshwaram irrigation project, Reddy said state ministers were now asking why CBI has not investigated the matter so far.

The previous BRS government had brought a law preventing CBI into the state but now the Congress government has the opportunity to seek a CBI probe, he said.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had earlier sought a CBI investigation into the allegations of corruption in Kaleshwaram in his capacity as a Member of Parliament, Kishan Reddy recalled.

The state ministers had also alleged that BRS and BJP "shared commissions" in Kaleshwaram project, Kishan Reddy said, adding that they should investigate the matter instead of indulging in empty talk. He sought to know why the state government took a 'U turn' after initially announcing that the 'pharma city' started by the previous BRS government here, would be done away with.