Bid to demolish temple opposed

Vijayawada: Demolition drive taken up by Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) was drawing criticism from various civil society organisations and the Opposition parties in the city. As part of the development works, the VMC has demolished some holy shrines belongs to both Hindus and Muslims during the last two months in the city.

The latest decision taken by VMC to demolish the Siddhi Vinayaka temple located on Canal road sparked controversy in the city particularly in old city among the trade organisations. The temple was built more than 70 years ago on the banks of Krishna canal. Thousands of devotees attend the temple every year.

As rumours making rounds in the city that the temple would be demolished at any time by the VMC, the trade and religious organisations decided to observe Vijayawada bandh on Wednesday.

Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce convened a meeting on Tuesday and decided to observe bandh in the city on Wednesday. Vastralatha Traders Association, Krishnaveni Wholesale Cloth Merchants Association and Gollapudi Steel Market Traders Association also decided to observe bandh in the city. Some local religious organisations also called for bandh.

Former MLA of Vijayawada West Assembly constituency Velampalli Srinivas told ‘The Hans India’ that bandh would be observed on Wednesday protesting against the decision of the Government to demolish the Vinayaka temple.

He said the VMC was demolishing the temples during the nights without giving any chance to protect the holy shrines. He said the demolition of temple was a very sensitive issue and people were angry with the TDP Government.

He said Vinayaka temple was one of the biggest and oldest Vinayaka temples in the city and it should be protected at any cost. Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce president V Bhaskara Rao said all trade associations would extend support to the bandh on Wednesday. He convened a meeting with the members of the Chambers and discussed the situation.

Interestingly, the Congress opposed the decision of the Government to demolish the Vinayaka temple on Canal road. The Congress leaders demanded the Telugu Desam government to immediately withdraw the decision of demolishing the Varasiddhi Vinayaka temple located on the Canal road as part of the Development works.

The Congress leaders, C Ramachandraiah, the Opposition leader in the Legislative Council, AICC vice-president and former minister Sailajanath, PCC vice-president Devineni Rajasekhar, city Congress committee president Malladi Vishnu, PCC official spokesperson Kolanukonda Sivaji, PCC general secretary N Narasimha Rao and other leaders on Tuesday visited the Vinayaka temple and spoke to the priests.

Speaking on the occasion, the city Congress committee president Malladi Vishnu said the Congress was seriously considering the actions of the State government on demolition of holy shrines, the mosques and temples, in the city in the name of development.

He said the Congress would oppose any move made by Telugu Desam government to demolish the Vinayaka temple.
He said the temple had a very long history and visited by a large number of devotees.

He said the Congress would stop demolition of the temple till the end of Krishna Pushkaralu and later a committee would be formed to decide about the future of the temple.