Jagan Visits Tirumala Only for Politics: Bandi

Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday asked YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy why he couldn’t give a declaration on his belief in Lord Venkateshwara if he wanted to visit the Tirumala temple. The former chief minister deferred his visit amid demands for declaration of his faith.

Addressing a press conference, Sanjay said former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had given such a declaration.

Sanjay charged the YSRC chief with cheating Hindus by making frequent visits to Tirumala temple to garner Hindu votes though he doesn't have any belief in the temple.

"(Former PM) Indira Gandhi was not allowed to visit Puri temple because she married a Parsi, unless she gave a declaration. (Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi was not allowed to visit Nepal's Pashupatinath Temple because she was a Christian. Can a non-Muslim be allowed to visit Macca Mosque without a skullcap? Similarly, can a non-Christian be allowed to visit Vatican City or Jerusalem without performing prayers? This is part of an attack on Hindutva," Sanjay claimed.

After cancelling his trip, Jagan Mohan Reddy had said, "What kind of Hindutva is this?" He also asked if a former chief minister was not allowed to go to the temple, what would be the condition of Dalits.

Sanjay said Dalits are real Hindus and protectors of Hindutva. "The attempt of Jagan Mohan Reddy to drag Dalits into the temple controversy is a clever ploy to promote conversions from those sections," he said.