Attack on archakas: Andhra Pradesh Government urged to sack Omkaram temple chief

Kurnool: Kurnool Lok Sabha constituency TDP president Somi Shetty Venkateshwarulu demanded immediate suspension of Pratap Reddy, chairman of Omkaram temple.

He said that the chairman accompanied by his brothers had brutally beaten up the temple archakas. Condemning the brutal attack on archakas, Somi Shetty accompanied by archakas and others staged a protest at the party office premises here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Somi Shetty came down heavily on the ruling party. He alleged that after the YSR Congress party came to power, attacks on Hindus, vandalis temples, setting chariots on fire and others were taking place on a large scale. And now the archakas of Omkaram temple in Bandi Atmakur mandal were brutally beaten up by the temple chairman Pratap Reddy. All these incidents reflect the brutality of the ruling party, Somi Shetty said.

Further, he said that never in the history there were any attacks on archakas and Pratap Reddy resorted to an inhuman act. He said Pratap Reddy who holds the position of temple chairman is not fit to discharge the responsibilities. "Pratap Reddy has to be removed immediately and stringent action should be taken against him and his brothers. If action is not taken then there Is every chance of recurrence of such attacks," the TDP leader said.

Somi Shetty also flayed Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas for his comments against Arya Vaisyas and for trying to obstruct their meeting in Vijayawada on November 22.

Member of Archakas Association, Samudrala Hanumantha Rao has said that none of the archakas or priests would attend any of the programmes organised by Pratap Reddy. Hanumantha Rao demanded action against Pratap Reddy. APBSS district president Sandelu Chandrasekhar, Devi Sekhar Samudrala Sreedhar, TV Ravi Chandra Sharma, Cheruvu Durga Prasad, Radhaka Krishna, Parusharam and others participated.