Andhra Pradesh: TDP opposes SIT, demands CBI probe into temple attacks

Amaravati: TDP politburo member Varla Ramaiah on Sunday termed it as a conspiracy of the ruling YSRCP to betray the Hindu devotees by ordering a 'downgraded' investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in place of the ongoing probe by the AP CID into the attacks on the temples, idols and priests.

Ramaiah pointed out that the SIT would be headed by a DIG level officer, who is two steps below the additional DGP rank officer who heads the CID probe. From this, it was evident how wasteful and thoughtless it was on the part of the government to order a SIT probe. Both SIT and CID would be wasteful under this rule. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had not offended the Christians in any manner.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader asserted that the Jagan regime had ordered countless SITs into different offences in the past 19 months. But not a single one of those SITs had cracked the respective cases. The SIT investigating the Chief Minister's own uncle and ex-MP Vivekananda Reddy murder could not solve the mystery till now. The SIT investigations had all turned into mere farce in the State.

Ramaiah deplored that the SIT concept had lost credibility under the YSRCP regime.

Even the SIT ordered into land scams around Visakhapatnam did not prove worthwhile. The same was the case with the SIT that was formed to look into the cabinet sub-committee findings with respect to the Amaravati lands.

Stating that the temple attacks were offences of a serious nature, Ramaiah urged the Chief Minister not to take eyewash measures in a casual manner. Cases relating to religious matters were highly sensitive and not a child's play to be dealt with. Hence, the Jagan regime should immediately order a CBI inquiry into all those attacks on temples that were carried out in the past one year. Over 140 desecrations and instances of vandalism were reported till now.

The TDP leader said that no Chief Minister would behave so negligently like Jagan when the issue of temples turned into a major problem.

Even YS Raja Shekara Reddy would have taken stern measures under such circumstances, he said.