Hyderabad: The controversy surrounding the recent auction of Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA) lands took a political turn in Warangal on Saturday, July 4, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organising a “Samprokshanam” (purification) ritual at the Bhadrakali Temple and accusing both the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of using the shrine for political purposes.
The dispute began after BRS leaders, including former KUDA chairman Marri Yadav Reddy, alleged irregularities in the auction of KUDA lands. As part of their protest, BRS leaders sought to visit the Bhadrakali Temple after taking a ritual bath and taking an oath before the deity over the allegations. However, Yadav Reddy was stopped and detained by police near the temple premises.
Congress leaders rejected the allegations, maintaining that the land auction process was conducted in a transparent manner. District Congress Committee president and KUDA chairman Inagala Venkat Ram Reddy also visited the temple and offered prayers, reiterating that there were no irregularities in the auction process.
BJP’s ‘Samprokshanam’ targets Congress, BRS
Accusing both the Congress and the BRS of dragging political disputes into a religious space, BJP leaders announced a temple purification programme under the banner of the party’s Warangal district unit. The party alleged that political activities by leaders of the two parties at the temple had hurt the sentiments of devotees and affected the sanctity of the shrine.
As part of the programme, BJP leaders planned to conduct a “Samprokshanam” ritual by sprinkling turmeric water and water brought from the Ganga and Godavari rivers around the temple premises.
However, tension prevailed at the temple on Saturday after police prevented BJP leaders and workers from entering the premises to carry out the ritual, citing law and order concerns. BJP leaders claimed that the sanctity of the temple had been violated after political leaders allegedly entered the shrine in wet clothes following a ritual bath and said the purification programme was intended to restore the sanctity of the temple.
According to a report by DC, an argument reportedly broke out between BJP workers and police personnel near the temple after party leaders demanded permission to conduct the ritual. Police maintained that the restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident and to maintain public order in and around the temple premises.
BJP Warangal district president Ganta Ravi Kumar said temples should not become venues for political confrontation, particularly the Bhadrakali Temple, which attracts devotees from different parts of the country and abroad. The party demanded that both Congress and BRS leaders apologise to devotees for bringing political disputes into a religious space.
The BJP also criticised both the previous BRS government and the present Congress administration, alleging inadequate focus on Warangal’s development.
