Jagan likely to be issued notice by police at Tirupati Airport ahead of his temple visit
Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): Ahead of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's planned visit to Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala Hills, the district police on Friday issued notice to several leaders and cadre of the party not to defy Section 30 of the Police Act which is in force.
According to a senior police official, the police may also issue a notice to the former chief minister after he lands at Renigunta Airport near here later in the day, before proceeding to Tirumala, not to defy prohibitory orders.
The police are forced to issue notices to the YSRCP leaders at several places in the district as messages are being spread on social media platforms asking the party cadre to gather at some locations in Tirupati in a show of solidarity with the former chief minister.
"Section 30 of the Police Act which regulates public assemblies and processions is in force in the district. We have noticed several postings on social media platforms asking people to gather at certain places in Tirupati. The notices are nothing but cautioning them not to come and defy orders. Jagan Mohan Reddy may also be issued a notice at the airport not to defy prohibitory orders," the official told PTI.
The YSRCP chief had said he would visit the temple as part of the statewide temple rituals called for by the party to atone for the 'sin' allegedly committed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu through his allegations on Tirupati laddus.
Reddy's appeal comes days after Naidu alleged that the previous YSRCP government used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making the laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.
The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country.
When contacted B Karunakar Reddy, former chairman, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) custodian of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills said he and several party leaders were issued notices by the police asking them not to defy orders.
He, however, said as former chairman of the TTD, he is entitled for a darshan along with seven members which he is planning to utilise today.
"Some of our leaders were given notices at midnight not to come out… It is nothing but madness if the officials ask Jagan Mohan Reddy to give a declaration, because he offered silk robes to Lord Venkateswara Swamy several times during festivals," Reddy said.
YSRCP general secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy said several leaders of the party in Rayachoti in Annamayya District were warned by authorities not to venture out.
The YSRCP chief's planned visit to the temple to offer prayers on Saturday is likely to raise political temperatures in Andhra Pradesh as the ruling NDA is sticking to its guns on the demand that the former chief minister should declare his faith before entering the hill shrine.
According to rules, foreigners and non-Hindus should declare their reverence for Lord Venkateswara to have a darshan of the presiding deity at the hill shrine, a former bureaucrat had said.
According to the itinerary of Reddy's two-day visit to Tirumala, the former CM will depart from Gannavaram Airport for Renigunta at 4 pm today and from there (Renigunta), he will proceed to Tirumala, where he is expected to reach by 7 pm and stay overnight.
On Saturday, at 10.20 am, the opposition leader will leave the guest house to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.
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Bhojshala case: Disputed structure built from remains of pre-existing temples, claims ASI
Indore (PTI): The ASI has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that a massive structure dating back to the Paramara kings' rule existed at the disputed Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex, and the current structure was built from the remains of temples.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made the claim on Tuesday based on its 98-day scientific survey and over 2,000-page report.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side claims the monument as the Kamal Maula Mosque. The disputed complex is protected by the ASI.
During the hearing before Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi of the HC's Indore bench, Additional Solicitor General Sunil Kumar Jain, representing the ASI, presented a detailed account of the scientific survey conducted two years ago at the complex.
Referring to the ASI's survey report, he said, "Retrieved architectural remains, sculptural fragments, large slabs of inscriptions with literary texts, Nagakarnika inscriptions on pillars, etc, suggest that a large structure associated with literary and educational activities existed at the site. Based on scientific investigations and archaeological remains recovered during the investigations, this pre-existing structure can be dated to the Paramara period."
It can be said that the existing structure was made from the parts of earlier temples, based on scientific investigations, survey and archaeological excavations conducted, study and analysis of retrieved finds, study of architectural remains, sculptures, and inscriptions, art and sculptures, Jain said quoting the report.
Summarising the report, he also drew the court's attention to the fact that the archaeological study identifies that many architectural components, such as pillars and beams, were originally part of temple structures before being repurposed for a mosque.
"The evidence of this transition includes Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions that were damaged or hidden, alongside sculptures of deities and animals that were often mutilated or defaced," Jain contended.
The report also states that "all Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions are older than the Arabic and Persian inscriptions, indicating that users or engravers of the Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions occupied the place earlier".
In light of the Muslim side's earlier objections, the bench wanted to know why there were some discrepancies in the ASI's responses regarding the status of the disputed complex in the cases filed over the years.
The Additional Solicitor General argued that earlier studies of the complex involved only officials, while the current survey involved scientists and the use of advanced technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
The hearing in the Bhojshala case will continue on Wednesday.
The high court has been regularly hearing four petitions and one writ appeal regarding the religious nature of the Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex since April 6.
