Andhra Pradesh News

Appointment of Christian ADGP-CID Sunil Kumar to investigate temple attacks in AP raises concerns

January 9, 2021
The Commune

According to reports, PV Sunil Kumar, Additional Director of General Police of the Criminal Investigation Department, will be presiding over the committee formed to investigate the temple vandalization incidents that has seen a spurt in the past few days in Andhra Pradesh.

As soon as reports of Sunil Kumar’s appointment came in, many have raised concerns as the officer has in the past participated in events that casts doubts over his ability to conduct a fair investigation.

This apprehension comes in the light of a video of Sunil Kumar praising the British who enslaved India and promoting Christianity which has gone viral on social media.

In the above vide, Sunil Kumar can be seen proudly proclaiming his Christian faith and praising British rule saying: ““When we aren’t allowed into Temples, Britishers showed Gave us a Church, When we aren’t allowed to have one God , Britishers showed us a God, When we aren’t allowed to study, Britishers introduced education to us”.

Ramakrishna Raju, Narsapuram MP from the ruling YSRCP has himself flagged the appointment of Sunil Kumar saying that Christians should not be a part of the committee to inquire attacks on temples. The MP had questioned how Hindus could get justice when everyone including the Chief Minister, Home Minister, Investigation Officer, CID Chief are Christians. In this light, he has demanded that the inquiry committee comprise of both Christians and non-Christians.

 

There have been incidents of temple vandalization of at least five temples in the past one week.

Earlier, on December 29, locals visiting the 400 year-old Kodanda Rama Temple on the Bodi Konda hill were shocked to find a statue of Lord Ram beheaded.

Priests of the Vigneshwara temple in Sriramnagar in Rajahmundry found the two arms of the vigraha of Lord Subrahmanya severed when they come to open the temple on January 1.

In another incident, miscreants damaged the feet of the deity Komalamma at the Komalamma Temple near Vantlamamidi near Paderu, in Vishakhapatnam district. The temple is adjacent to the famous Modakondamma temple. Devotees who went there on Friday morning to have darshan of Komalamma’s padalu (feet) on the occasion of the New Year were shocked to find the feet damaged.

Unidentified people desecrated the idol of Goddess Sita at a temple situated in the Pandit Nehru Bus Station, which was reported on January 3.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in his defence has alleged that these attacks on temples are an act of conspiracy by political opponents to defame and brand it “anti-Hindu”. He also called likened these attacks to “guerrilla warfare tactics” by political opponents. On Monday (4 January), he gave an explanation to his theory that all attacks on Hindu temples occur only when some prestigious welfare programmes..