AP govt turning AP into 'Yesu Pradesh': BJP

Tirupati: BJP state spokesperson G Bhanu Prakash Reddy lambasted the state government for trying to convert Andhra Pradesh into 'Yesu Pradesh'. Addressing the media at the Press Club here on Saturday, he said the police system which needs to be involved in the public service has been busily engaged in religious conversions.

Though several incidents of religious conversions have been reported in the state for the past few days, the state government has not cared to control them but it appears that it is supporting such gangs.

He alleged that the police were deliberately hurting the sentiments of Hindus by spreading anti-religious propaganda in Visakhapatnam railway station. He demanded the Chief Minister to release a white paper on how many churches were built with and without permits during the three-year rule of his government. The Chief Minister, who does not care about the pathetic state of thousands of Hindu temples, released a GO allocating Rs 175 crore for the construction of churches.

The BJP leader found fault with former YSRCP minister P Anil Kumar Yadav for hurting the sentiments of crores of devotees by wearing a skull cap during the holy Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha which needs to be performed for 41 days by wearing only black attire. He demanded an apology from Yadav for his act and said that it was a shame that he resorted to such incidents for vote bank politics which the Hindu society will not tolerate. BJP leader Samanchi Srinivas also spoke while party leaders Viswanath and Naveen were present.