Visakhapatnam, Jan 17 (IANS): BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit has reacted strongly to Director General of Police Gautam Sawang's statement blaming the BJP leaders for a series of attacks on temples in the state and demanded his removal.
Party's state unit chief Somu Veerraju demanded that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should respond immediately to remove Gautam Sawang from the DGP's post for making baseless allegations.
Addressing a news conference here on Sunday, the BJP leader said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should respond to the remarks made by the police chief.
He said it was unfortunate that instead of taking action against those involved in the attacks on temples, false cases were being booked against the BJP cadres.
Somu Veerraju said the YSR Congress party government should specify what is its objective. He alleged that the government is working to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus.
He found fault with the DGP's statement and said no action was taken against the burning of ancient chariot at Antarvedi, desecration at Ramateertha temple and attacks on several other temples but the police chief announced booking of cases against the BJP leaders.
He said the officials enumerating properties of temples should also undertake the exercise in cases of churches in the state.
The BJP leader demanded an immediate halt to religious conversions in the state.
He said the government was acting with the intention to weaken Hindutva.
He wondered if the government is paying salaries to pastors for doing conversions. "When churches have assets worth thousands of crores, why should the government build churches," he asked.
The BJP leader demanded a white paper on the assets owned by the churches and said the party would submit its report to the Centre on church assets.
Gautam Sawang had on Friday released details of political links in the desecration of temple idol cases and false propaganda on social media. He claimed that 21 people belonging to the TDP and the BJP were identified and 15 were arrested so far. Amongst the 21 people involved in nine cases, 17 belong to the TDP and four to the BJP. So far, 13 of those from the TDP and two from the BJP have been arrested, he had said.