Pawan Kalyan condemns attack on Chilkur head priest, calls it attack on Dharma
Hyderabad: Condemning the attack on Chilkur Balaji temple chief priest CS Rangarajan last week, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said it was not an attack on a person but Dharma. He also expressed deep sorrow and called it an unfortunate incident.
In his complaint to Moinabad police on Sunday, Rangarajan said about 20 people from a fringe group ‘Rama Rajya’ forcefully entered his house on Friday and asked him to spread the message of “dharma rakshana” and they assaulted him when he refused to get associated with them. Later, the police arrested Veera Raghava Reddy, leader of Rama Rajya Sainyam, in the case. It is pertinent to note that Ragha Reddy landed strong blows on the priest’s face.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s father and Temples Protection Movement convenor MV Soundararajan blamed the fringe group for the attack. The fringe group claiming to be descendants of the Ikshwaku clan want to establish its “version of Rama Rajya” by forming private armies to punish those who go against it or their agenda.
A statement released by the Deputy Chief Minister’s office on Monday stated, “I am deeply saddened to learn that a mob attacked the chief priest of the famous Balaji temple in Chilkur, Rangarajan. This is an unfortunate incident, and I strongly condemn this attack.”
Reminding the decades of dedication of Rangarajan in protecting Dharma and sanctity of temples, Pawan Kalyan asked the law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident.
“The person leading that mob should be identified and punished severely. The Telangana state government should take this attack seriously,” he added.
Earlier in the day, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao, also known as KTR and other party MLAs and leaders visited Rangarajan at his home in Chilkur. He condemned the attack and said such incidents pose a severe threat to peace and security in Telangana.
“No matter who is behind it, under what pretence or agenda, it is the state government’s duty to take stringent action against them,” KTR said.
చిలుకూరు బాలాజీ ఆలయం ప్రధాన అర్చకులు రంగరాజన్ గారిని పరామర్శించిన బీఆర్ఎస్ వర్కింగ్ ప్రెసిడెంట్ @KTRBRS, మాజీ మంత్రులు @BrsSabithaIndra, @VSrinivasGoud, ఎమ్మెల్సీ నవీన్ కుమార్ రెడ్డి, ఎమ్మెల్యే @KaushikReddyBRS, మాజీ ఎమ్మెల్యేలు మెతుకు ఆనంద్, @balkasumantrs, బీఆర్ఎస్ నాయకులు… pic.twitter.com/cec0V2h5zC
— BRS Party (@BRSparty) February 10, 2025
