The Visakha Sri Sarada Peetadhipathi lashed out at the tantrik pujas at the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada, and said that he would write a letter to the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu relaying the concerns of the Peetham to him.
Saying that this had been the condition of temples in the state for a while, he said that such disservices had been taking place in the Durga temple for the past two years and that it was an ill-omen for the nation. He also said that it was atrocious that Kshudra and Tantrik poojas were taking place in such a popular temple.
The pontiff alleged that successive governments were responsible for transforming the temples into political rehabilitation centres in order to fulfill their own selfish interests. He also said that temple revenues were being diverted and misused, and that incidents like the one at the Durga temple would continue to take place if governments only focussed on the revenue they were getting from temples and failed to concentrate on God.
Responding to comments that the Executive Officer of the temple had known about these activities, the religious leader criticised the government over its inaction despite being aware of the allegations against the officer. He also said that it was incorrect on the part of the government to harass the Archakas of the temple instead of targeting the officials with regard to the tantrik pujas.
He said that a meeting would soon be convened on the issue with all the Peetadhipathis and a case filed against the government's attitude towards temples.