YSRC, BJP at loggerheads over Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations

VIJAYAWADA: Ruling YSR Congress is irritated over the BJP creating issues and raising “baseless” allegations in relation to the Vinayaka Chavithi festival
 
This led to another war of words between the two political parties in the state. Saffron leaders are alleging suppression of the Hindu religion and putting curbs on Hindus by the state government. They alleged that the government is imposing strict norms for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations while giving a free hand to the people of other religions on similar occasions.
 
State BJP president Somu Veerraju, general secretary Vishnuwardhan Reddy and other leaders slammed the Jagan-led government for “creating obstacles” in the Ganesh Utsav celebrations. BJP leaders say permissions from various departments are made compulsory to conduct Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations. YSRC leaders say the government is only following the norms of the past when the Telugu Desam government was in power, and no new curbs have been introduced.
 
Veerraju said some devotees in the vicinity of Ganesh pandals showed their devotion by providing free electricity to the Mandapams but the government is insisting that they must get temporary power connection and permissions from several departments.
 
Vishnuwardhan Reddy said that they asked people to conduct Vinayaka Chavithi as usual and bypass the strict restrictions as “this is people’s right.”
 
Deputy chief minister and minister for endowments Kottu Satyanarayana said the government has not put any new curbs.  
 
AP assembly deputy speaker Kona Raghupathi said the government was collecting `500 as electricity charge for Vinayaka Chavathi pandals while the TD had collected `1000. For every programme in public places, permissions are necessary. This applies to all religions too.
 
Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu alleged that BJP state president Somu Veerraju and TD chief Chandrababu Naidu were trying to create an issue from nothing and hence cases should be registered against them.
 
DGP  Rajendranath Reddy said the police department is not imposing any special restriction for Vinayaka immersion and people should celebrate the events and do the Vinayaka immersion as usual. He affirmed that the police department extended its full cooperation to people to celebrate Vinayaka Chavithi Nimajjanam and appealed to the public not to belive in  rumours.