Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)A major political controversy has kicked off in Telangana after carvings of Chief Minister (CM) K Chandrashekar Rao and his party symbol were found on the pillars of “Ashtabhuja Mandap” of Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple in Yadadri, reports Deccan Herald.
Downplaying the issue, Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA) said that the sculptors had made the carvings at their own will during the renovation, in gratitude for Rao, haling him as king of the region.
Chief executive officer of the YTDA, G Kishan Rao further offered to remove the carvings if it was objectionable, while reasoning that Ahombilam temple in Andhra Pradesh also has carvings of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Meanwhile, objecting to the issue, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Raja Singh Lodh countered, "The temple is being re-built with public funds and such religious places must be free from any political affiliations."
Also, Congress' Legislative Party (CLP) has called for an inquiry in the matter, while the head of the CLP has said that religious places must not be used to gain political mileage, by depicting symbols and emblems of government schemes.
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