VHP stages protest over fire at Narasimha Swamy temple

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHJP) on Tuesday staged protests against Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s government for the historic chariot fire incident at famous Antarvedi’s Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple.

 A large number of people belonging to VHP and other Hindu groups staged protests and raised Jai Sri Ram slogans. They crossed the temple barricades and also stopped the convoys of the ministers who wanted to visit the place.

Meanwhile, the Andhra government has given assurance of rebuilding it. An inquiry committee was also formed to ascertain the cause of the incident.

A 62-year-old wooden chariot was burnt to ashes recently. The cause of the mishap is not known yet. The EO was transferred with immediate effect.

TDP president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed anguish over the growing attacks on idols of Hindu temples across the state “ever since the YSRCP came to power”. The TDP president demanded a judicial probe into the burning of Antarvedi temple chariot in East Godavari.

 He said there was a larger conspiracy to defame the Hindu religion and the chariot fire mishap is not a mere accident. He suspected the hand of anti-social elements and sought a thorough judicial inquiry into the incident.

“The fire mishap at the Antarvedi Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple is not an isolated case. Similar incidents occurred at various temples in the state, including Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple. He said several idols were destroyed in temples across the state under the rule of Jaganmohan Reddy. This is a clear case of an attack on Hindu religion,” Naidu said.