Political symbols carved on temple walls kick up row

Carvings of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and his party symbol Ambassador car on the pillars of “Ashtabhuja Mandap” of Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple in Yadadri have kicked up a row. The Opposition parties, with the BJP leading the pack, objected to the presence of political symbolism in a holy place.

The carvings of various government schemes such as Harithaharam, national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, a Muslim religious symbol and Charminar on the outer peripheral wall of the temple under renovation also become viral.

The Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA), while admitting to the existence of carvings on the temple walls, said that the sculptors, in an expression of gratitude, have done it on their own, as they considered the chief minister as the King of the region—a practice in temples of southern India.

“We will remove the images of KCR if it is objectionable,” G Kishan Rao, the Chief Executive Officer of the YTDA said in a hurriedly called media conference on Friday afternoon.

“Ahobilam temple in Andhra Pradesh also has images of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru,” he reasoned out.

The temple authorities explained that the images of gods are depicted on the first periphery of the temple, while others can be carved on the outer wall.

“Similarly the Ashtabhuja Mantapa is a place where the pilgrims relax and has no religious significance,” Kishan Rao added.

“The temple is being re-built with public funds... such religious places must be free from any political affiliation,” said BJP Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh Lodh.

Several BJP, Congress and CPI leaders reached the temple after the video of the BJP statement went viral.

Hindu activists tried to climb the walls but were restrained by the police and sent back.

The BJP called for a mass protest on Saturday. “Carving of KCR on temple pillars reflects his craze for publicity with public money, and his indifferent attitude towards the sentiments of majority Hindus,” BJP Telangana unit president K Laxman said.