Former Modi cabinet minister’s donation to build new vigraha of Shri Rama rejected by Andhra government

In a vexatious and surprising move, the Andhra Pradesh Endowments department on January 16 rejected a donation of ₹1,01,116 for making a new vigraha (idol) of Lord Shri Rama to be placed in the Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy temple at Ramatheertham in Vizianagaram district.

The previous idol was damaged by unidentified miscreants some weeks ago.

The donation was offered by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Union Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju. Ashok had been sacked from the post of Chairman of three temples, including the Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy temple at Ramatheertham, which were founded by his family — the Vizianagaram royal family of Pusapati Rajus, for his failure to take steps to prevent the vandalism of the Lord Rama idol, according to a government memo.

The other two temples, where Ashok Gajapathi Rau was sacked, are the Sri Pyditalli Ammavari Devasthanam and a temple in Mandapalli of East Godavari district. The memo further said that Ashok “has failed to discharge his legitimate duties and address the issues relating to the security aspects of the temple and failed to take steps to prevent the vandalisation” of the idol at the Ramatheertham temple.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju had served as the Union Minister of Civil Aviation in the Narendra Modi cabinet until the TDP split from the  National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2018 over the issue of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh. In March 2020, the Jagan Reddy-led government of Andhra Pradesh had also removed him as the chairperson of the Simhachalam Devasthanam Board and the MANSAS Trust.

“First, they unilaterally dismiss me as hereditary trustee/Chairman without as much as a notice in complete contravention of section 28. Now, they reject my offerings to the Lord as a representative of the founder family for the vigrahas”, Ashok tweeted over the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision.