TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh on Monday accused the ruling YSRCP leaders of attacking and looting the Hindu temples in the State in the past three years. Lokesh said that while Jagan Mohan Reddy was plundering the public assets, his party men were looting towns and villages. They were not leaving even temples and idols.

The TDP MLC said that over Rs. 25 crore worth ‘Marakatha Vinayaka’ idol was seized from the house of YCP local leader Venkateswara Reddy belonging to Prakasam district. This costly idol was found to be one of those that were snatched away from the temples by robbers.

Lokesh asserted that it was the ruling YSRCP gangs that had perpetrated hundreds of attacks on the temples in the past. If a Rs. 25 Cr idol was found in a small leader’s house, the doubts were arising over the ancient idols that could have been snatched away by big leaders.

Lokesh said that the public talk was that the YSRCP leaders were taking away jewellery and idols from the small, big and medium temples all over the State. The devotees were expressing growing fears about lack of safety for the assets of the Hindu temples under the current regime.

Lokesh pointed out that the Government had not yet nabbed the offenders who burnt down the Antarvedi temple chariot. The silver lions of Durga Temple in Vijayawada went missing but the miscreants were not arrested. The police failed to nab the miscreants who hacked the head of Rama idol of Ramatheertham temple.

Lokesh deplored that under the rule of robbers, there was no safety for not just assets of temples but also for the idols of gods. Time has come for taking audit at all the temples in the State with protection from Central forces and legal teams. Otherwise, even the remaining jewellery at temples would eventually end up as adornments on the necks of YCP leaders’ children.