Kodali: Did Modi go to Ayodhya with his wife?

Minister hits out at BJP for raising issue of Jagan offering silk saris to Lord Venkateswara alone

BJP LEADERS have no moral right to demand that Jagan Mohan Reddy must give a declaration at Tirumala temple or question him on bringing his family to the temple. They should ask PM Modi and UP CM to take their families during visits to temples.

KODALI SRI VENKATESWARA RAO, AndhraPradeshStatecivilsuppliesminister

Andhra Pradesh State civil supplies minister and member of the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy cabinet Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (alias ‘Kodali Nani’) on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking his wife for the Ayodhya Ram temple bhumi poojan and advised him to take his spouse while visiting temples.

Responding to BJP leaders’ demand that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy must bring his spouse to the Tirupati-Tirumala temple, Nani said, “Let Modi and his wife set an example as an ideal couple, like Shiva and Parvati or lord Venkateshwara and his cohort.”

Flaying Bharatiya

Janata Party leaders over prevailing political unrest in the state, Kodali Nani pointed out that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also visiting temples without his family.

Responding to BJP’s demand for his expulsion from AP Cabinet due to his recent remarks on faith declaration issue, Nani asked why would YSRC sack him, saying, “will BJP dismiss Amit Shah from ministry if opposition parties demanded it.”

The minister, who reached Tirumala to join his Chief Minister, who arrived at the hill town on a two-day visit to present silk vastrams to Lord Venkateswara on the occasion Garuda Vahana seva on behalf of the state government, responded strongly to BJP’s demand that the AP CM, whose government has run into a controversy over non Hindus declaring their faith in the Lord, should visit the Tirumala temple along with his family.

Speaking to media persons, Nani said, “Why didn’t Modi take his spouse during his recent visit to Ayodhya Ram Mandir bhumi Puja?”

He further said, “BJP leaders have no moral right to demand that Jagan Mohan Reddy must give a declaration at Tirumala temple or question him on bringing his family to the temple. They should ask PM Modi and UP CM to take their families during visits to temples.”

Slamming BJP state chief Somu Veerraju, Nani reminded him that BJP had secured lesser votes than those polled by NOTA (none of the above) in 2019 elections. “It would be better for BJP leaders to mind their own party matters. They should focus on getting more votes in next elections rather than politicising temple incidents,” he strongly admonished.

Nani said he was convinced that there was a need to have a debate on whether or not to continue non-Hindu declaration at Tirumala temple, and reiterated that he was committed to ensuring the faith declaration is removed from Tirumala Venkateshara temple.

“Let him (PM) go back to Ayodhya with his wife and do puja again. Modi garu ye bharyani teesukeltaru? (Which wife will Modi take?)”