Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy called Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest Rangarajan over the phone on Monday, February 10 enquiring about the attack that took place recently.
“Why didn’t you tell me there was an attack on you?” the chief minister is heard asking priest Rangarajan over the phone’s loudspeaker.
“It was a shocking thing for me. However, the Hyderabad police have been very cooperative,” replied the priest.
Their conversation was recorded and is all over on social media platforms.
CM Revanth reassured the Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest that such attacks would not be tolerated and ordered the Hyderabad police department to take stringent action against the assailants who were involved in the attack.
“You need not worry. Please let the concerned MLA know if you need or require anything. I have even instructed the Hyderabad police commissioner to take the case seriously. Please do not take any kind of pressure,” CM Revanth told Rangarajan.
The chief minister also said that he would soon visit the Chilkur Balaji temple, a gesture warmly welcomed by the priest.
No goondaism in name of Rama Rajya: IT minister
State IT and industries and Rangareddy district in-charge minister D Sridhar Babu strongly condemned the attack and made it clear that ‘goondaism’ in the name of ‘Rama Rajya’ will not be tolerated.
He said using the name of Lord Rama to perpetrate such atrocious and uncivilized acts was not only an unpardonable crime, but also hurt the feelings of Ram bhakts.
An attack on Sanathana Dharma: Telangana BJP
BJP state president and Union coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy described the attack on Rangarajan as an attack on Sanathana Dharma.
“Sri Rangarajan is a priest who sacrificed great positions and has been serving to protect Sanathana Dharma by guiding the people on a spiritual path. The attack on such a person is condemnable, sad and unfortunate,” he said.
He demanded the administration to take strong action against the perpetrators, and to ensure that such incidents didn’t repeat again.
Earlier in the day, the BRS working president KTR along with other leaders Sabitha Indra Reddy, Padi Kaushik Reddy and others visited Chilukuru Balaji Temple chief priest Rangarajan.
Chilkur Balaji priest attacked after declining support to Hindutva group ‘Rama Rajyam’
The Chilkur Balaji temple head priest Rangarajan was attacked by members of the Hindutva group Rama Rajyam after he refused to support them financially and against helping them recruit more members into the organisation. The priest was essentially attacked by the accused, who claimed to be of the ‘Iskhvaku’ clan, for not accepting their ‘mission’`.
According to the police, the Chilkur Balaji temple priest Rangarajan was attacked on February 7 at his residency. At about 8 am, about 20 to 25 people from the Rama Rajyam organisation clad in black uniforms arrived at the house. “They demanded him to support financially as well as to recruit people into the ‘Rama Rajyam Army’ and assaulted him,” said the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Rajendranagar in a press release.
Following the incident, the Cyberabad police arrested a man who has been identified as Veera Raghava Reddy from Andhra Pradesh.
Citizens from 18 states condemn Chilkur Balaji temple priest attack
Numerous citizens from 18 states across India united on Change.org to strongly condemn the attack on Chilkur Balaji temple priest Rangarajan.
According to the executive director of COVA Peace Network Mazher Hussain, the attack was a direct disregard for the principles of constitutional governance.
Concerned citizens called the incident a dangerous development and urged the Union Home Minister of India Amit Shah and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to take immediate and strict action against those involved in the attack and similar extremist movements.
