The AP State Human Rights Commission has received a complaint against Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam for his recent video instructions on communally sensitive matters. It was regarding his directions to the officials to visit the houses of employees working in temples. Action should be taken if any of them is found practising religions other than Hinduism. This led to allegations that contract workers in Tirumala, Tirupati, Srikalahasti, Srisailam and other temples are being harassed after the CS directions.

Jerusalem Mathaiah, President of Christian Dharma Parirakshana Samithi, filed the petition before the SHRC. He accused Subrahmanyam of violating human rights of contract workers by issuing orders for their suspensions based on their personal beliefs and convictions. Mathaiah alleged that ever since the CS orders, officials are illegally visiting the houses of contract employees and harassing them if they are found practicing other religions.

The Christian organisations are taking strong objection to Chief Secretary’s interference though the ruling YCP Ministers and MLAs are silent on the issue. It all blew out of proportions after the BJP launched protests against printing Christian propagation material in Tirupati-Tirumala bus tickets recently. AP CS is facing allegations of trampling upon the basic rights of people to practise whichever religion they like.