KCR's Yagna is an appeasement exercise: BJP leader

BJP leader Krishna Sagar Rao on Friday slammed Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) saying that his "political yagna" was only an appeasement exercise and misuse of power.

The mega ritual - Maha Sudharshana Yagam - will be performed near the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple. As many as 1,048 yagna kundas, small pyres made of bricks where the ritual is performed, would be constructed in this 100-acre yagna vatika.

"BJP doesn't have a problem whether a normal citizen or Chief Minister of the state follows his religious beliefs and traditions. In fact, we would want people to do that. However, this scale at which CM KCR wants to do the Yagna with hundred acres of land and more than one lakh invitees...about 12,000 Rithviks will conduct and assist this Yagna. We ask him what is the motive behind this scale of Yagna?" said Krishna Sagar Rao while talking to ANI.

"Is this Yagna to follow your religious commitments, rites, and rituals or is it for the elections which are round the corner for Municipal Corporation and GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation)?" he asked.

The BJP leader recalled that the Chief Minister did the same Yagna before the GHMC election in 2015.

"He is doing the same again. We can't help but say this is a political Yagna or election Yagna. It has nothing to do with religious faith or commitment. This is only an appeasement exercise," Rao said.

"On one hand, he (KCR) allows Akbaruddin Owaisi to insult Hindus...protects him and gives him clean chit through his police machinery and then, on the other hand, he wants to do Yagnas to appease Hindus. What kind of politics is this? BJP considers it as absolute misuse of power to engage and spend unaccounted money of the public," the BJP leader said.

According to an official release from the chief minister's office, KCR discussed the arrangements to be made for the yagam with Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy at his ashram earlier on Tuesday. The date and muhurtham or time would be finalised soon.