Senior YSRCP leader and former minister Dharmana Prasada Rao cautioned YSRCP government against mooting proposals to sell off temple lands in the state to raise revenues for the cash-strapped state government.
Dharmana categorically stated that temple lands can never be of state government and no state government has a right to touch temple lands.
Dharmana also quoted provisions in various Acts that make it clear that temple lands do not belong to state government.
It is not allowed to sell off temple lands by anyone indiscriminately, Dharmana said.
He made these sensational comments while speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of Kodanda Ramalaya temple executive committee in Srisailam on Wednesday (today).
Dharmana’s comments created a furore in YSRCP circles in the wake of Jagan government’s earlier attempts to sell off TTD lands and lands belonging to other temples to raise revenues for the state government.
But Jagan government backtracked later after facing stiff opposition from Hindu organisations, people and opposition parties.
