Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, BC Welfare Minister Chelluboyina Srinivasa Venu Gopala Krishna, Social Welfare Minister Pinipe Viswarup and local legislator Rapaka Vara Prasada Rao paid a visit to the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Antarvedi to take stock of the situation, but ended up facing the wrath of devotees and members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
Slogans of “Rapaka dow down” rent the air as the protesters raised slogans to express their anger against the government. Efforts of the police to control the mob went in vain, and tension prevailed when protestors broke barricades and entered the temple premises. The incident of burning of 60-year-old chariot of Antarvedi Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy did not go down well with the people. A majority of population in the two Godavari districts revere the shrine.
Meanwhile, opposition parties accused the government of failing to protect the temples from miscreants. Several doubts are being expressed if the chariot caught fire accidentally or if it was the handiwork of anti-social elements.
Amidst this development, the three ministers and legislator found themselves at the receiving end with angry protesters venting their anguish. Leaders of the Viswa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations took the ministers and temple officials to task. At one point of time, the police had a tough time regulating the crowd as stones were pelted on the ministers’ vehicles. The protesters later met the ministers in person and set a deadline of September 15 for strict action against the perpetrators. They also demanded a CBI inquiry into a series of attacks on temples and priests.