BJP to launch agitation on Antarvedi temple fire incident

Visakhapatnam, Sep 9 (IANS) Expressing concern over the allegedly rising instances of attacks on Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh, state BJP president Somu Veerraju on Tuesday warned of an intense agitation if the people behind the six-decade-old wooden chariot fire incident in Antarvedi, are not brought to book.

With no arrests made yet in this connection, the BJP's state president warned that they would no longer remain silent on the matter.

"On Wednesday, I'm reaching Antarvedi and from there I will give a call for a statewide agitation on the issue," he told IANS.

Demanding an inquiry into the incident by a sitting judge of the High Court. Veerraju said: "The incident at Antarvedi is the height of intolerance against temples and Hindu faith. The responses to such incidents do not reflect any seriousness on the part of the state government. The BJP is taking the Antarvedi incident very seriously."

Following a mysterious fire accident on Saturday night, the six-decade-old wooden chariot or temple car of the deity, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Antarvedi in East Godavari district of the state, got burnt and reduced to ashes.

Devotees and Hindu groups smell a conspiracy and consider the incident as yet another assault on Hindu religion and faith ever since the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government came to power in the state.