The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP opposes move for stone-laying by YSR

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Friday, Aug 13, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP opposes move for stone-laying by YSR

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 12. The State BJP has opposed the proposal for laying the foundation for rebuilding the 1000-pillar mandapam at Tirumala by the Chief Minister, Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, saying that the Government had nothing to do with the new structure as it was not being constructed from its funds.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, State BJP vice-president, S.V.Seshagiri Rao, and secretary, NVSS Prabhakar, said neither the Chief Minister nor any other Minister had the authority to lay the foundation stone and urged the Government to desist from interfering in the re-erection of the mandapam.

They said that either the archakas or the devotees could be asked to lay the foundation stone. They appealed to the devotees to resist if the Chief Minister or any other Minister attempts to lay the foundation stone.

Encroachment of land

Referring to the alleged encroachment of endowment land by a "top leader" at Dakamarri in Visakhapatnam district, they criticised the State Government for failing to take action.

They said that about 25,000 acres of endowment land in rural areas alone had been encroached upon and demanded the Government to publish a "white paper," providing details of the movable and immovable properties of the endowment lands.

The temple lands in the State Capital and other cities in the State were also encroached. Giving examples of encroachment, they said that lands to an extent of 4000 acres of the 11,000-odd acres of the Simhachalam estate, 600 acres of 2300 acres of Penna Ahobilam and about 827 of the 917 acres of Lord Rama's temple at Bhadrachalam temple were encroached.

Withdrawal of GO urged

The BJP leaders also took strong objection to the decision of the Government to sell temple lands.

They said the Government had no right to sell them and demanded the withdrawal of GO issued in this regard.

The BJP's `Temple Properties Protection Committee' will organise four regional conventions at Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Khammam and in Rayalaseema in September last week.

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