Observing that Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, has managed to arrange a virtual temple setting at his residence spending a whopping Rs 4 cr public money, the convener of TDP Brahmin Empowerment Samithi (TDP Sadhikara Samithi), Butchi Ram Prasad Sarma, on Wednesday felt that only Jagan gets such novel ideas.
Setting a temple environment at home and performing poojas there is not spirituality, Ram Prasad Sarma told media persons at the party headquarters here. Generally people light the bonfire to celebrate Bhogi only really in the morning, before 7 am, Ram Prasad Sarma felt that lighting the bonfire at 12 noon is certainly against the Hindu tradition.
“Jagan does not have even an iota of respect towards the Hindu traditions and on Hindus as he is like a Hitler,” Ram Prasad Sarma remarked. Instead of celebrating the Sankranthi festivities amidst the temple settings in a cinematic way by spending Rs 4 cr at his house, Jagan would have constructed a permanent temple at the same place with the same amount which would have been of great help for others, he stated.
Ram Prasad Sarma demanded a white paper on the details from which government department these funds are drawn. Are these funds spent from the TTD Board or from the protocol wing and this should be made public in the white paper, he felt.
Pointing out that the Lord Venkateswara temple in Venkatayapalem built by the TTDP is just five km away from the Tadepalle palace, Ram Prasad Sarma said that Jagan would have visited this temple to perform the poojas to prevent the public money from going waste. “Jagan should explain to the public why he has wasted Rs 4 cr of public money,” he said.
Did Jagan visit any temple in these five years along with his wife, Sarma asked and said that even for presenting the traditional silk clothes to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala Jagan went alone but not along with his wife. But the tradition is that while presenting the silk clothes the couple should visit the temple, he noted.
It is quite clear that Jagan has taken part in the Sankranti celebrations at his residence only for political gains, he said and appreciated the statement made by Sharmila, the APCC chief-appointee, that she is joining the Congress as no steps were taken to punish those who demolished the 2,000 churches in Manipur by people belonging to other religions.
Maintaining that Jagan has no respect towards the Hindu traditions as he did not accept the most sacred prasadam which has hurt the Hindus sentiments, Ram Prasad Sarma demanded Jagan to first give a clarification to the people whether he is a Christian or a Hindu. Why is he not daring enough to claim that he is a Christian and at the same time he could not follow the Hindu traditions as well, asked Jagan.
Ram Prasad Sarma made it clear that religious traditions should not be used for political gains and advised Jagan to at least stop this kind of practice now. Also, Jagan should give clarity to the people whether he is a Christian or a Hindu, Prasad Sarma added.
