Power cut at Durga temple sparks political controversy
Vijayawada: A brief power outage at the Kanaka Durga temple here triggered political controversy and sparked outrage among devotees, prompting a strong response from energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, who on Tuesday blamed official lapses and ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident.
Addressing reporters in Amaravati, the minister said it was unfortunate that the issue was being politicised, asserting that the NDA coalition government accords the highest priority to the sentiments of devotees. He said he convened an urgent meeting with senior energy department officials after learning of the 15-minute power interruption at the temple and reprimanded them on the same day.
Ravi Kumar said the outage occurred due to a lack of coordination among officials and directed them to submit a detailed report without delay. “Strict action will be taken against those responsible, and steps will be put in place to ensure such incidents do not recur,” he said.
According to official sources, the Durga temple management has outstanding electricity dues of over Rs 3 crore. Despite repeated reminders from the electricity department, the arrears remained unpaid. As a result, power supply to the temple on Indrakeeladri hill was disconnected on Saturday, December 27.
The timing of the disconnection sparked outrage, as it coincided with a heavy influx of devotees. The power cut reportedly occurred while offerings were being made to the deity, causing inconvenience to pilgrims and operational difficulties for temple staff.
Senior temple officials immediately brought the matter to the notice of the energy and endowments ministers, following which electricity supply was restored. The government has since taken a serious view of the incident.
Meanwhile, the power outage has become a flashpoint for political criticism, with sections accusing the government of insensitivity.
Responding to such allegations, minister Ravi Kumar said attempts were being made to exploit a coordination failure for political gain, reiterating that the government remains committed to safeguarding religious institutions and devotees’ faith.
