BJP condemns Christian preaching at Tirumala

Posted April 11, 2006

United News of India
Hyderabad, April 10, 2006

Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday condemned the alleged preaching by Christian missionaries at Tirumala.

In a statement, the party general secretary K Lakshman claimed the government ignored BJP's complaints that the missionaries were trying to build a church at Tirumala.

The party's suspicion was confirmed when some youth were caught preaching Christianity at the abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara and later let off by the police, he alleged.

Stating the episode disturbed the entire Hindu community, Dr Lakshman had alleged conversions had received a shot in the arm after YS Rajasekhara Reddy became the Chief Minister.

When the BJP Yuva Morcha workers staged a dharna at the office of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, police arrested them instead of arresting one Bala Raju and others who, he claimed, were responsible for the conversions.

He had demanded the arrest of those responsible for trying for conversions in the temple town.