Amid the furore over the reported desecration of Hindu idols and allegations of rising attacks on Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday laid the foundation for the reconstruction of nine Hindu temples allegedly demolished during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime.

“The Chief Minister on Friday laid the foundation stone at Seethamma Paadalu on the banks of river Krishna for the reconstruction of nine temples that were demolished by the previous TDP government,” said an official statement.

Reddy also laid the foundation for eight other developmental works costing Rs 77 crore at the famous Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple, including unveiling two separate plaques at the construction site of Sri Saneeswara Swamy Temple.

The Chief Minister later visited the Kanaka Durga Temple at Indrakeeladri where he was blessed by the priests amid chants of vedic hymns and presented with a memento, ‘prasadam’ (blessed food) and a photograph of the presiding deity.

“Another ‘padayatra’ promise fulfilled. Jagan Mohan Reddy lays the foundation stone for reconstruction of temples demolished by pseudo-Hindu Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the name of Pushkar arrangements at Vijayawada. The Chief Minister also launches Rs 70 crore development works of Kanaka Durga temple,” said Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy V.

The Chief Minister released the endowment department’s calendar depicting all the important state temples and also a calendar of the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple.