A graphic image posted by the ruling YSR Congress party on its social media platform on Maha Shivratri day triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the YSRC.
On Monday, senior YSRC leader and legislator Malladi Vishnu described BJP co-incharge of Andhra affairs Sunil Deodhar and state BJP president Somu Veerraju as donkeys for trying to play politics over a noble message.
“Sunil Deodhar is donkey No. 1; and Somu Veerraju is Donkey No. 2. I can’t find worse wordings to describe them. It is atrocious to say that the YSRC has posted anti-Hindu message through the social media. They don’t have any moral right to talk about the YSRC,” Vishnu said.
The BJP leaders took objection to a picture posted on the YSRC party official Twitter handle greeting people on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
The picture has a graphic image of Jagan pouring milk into the mouth of a boy who resembled Lord Shiva, as he was wearing the tiger’s skin and holding a damarukam.
The BJP staged protests at Shiva temples in the State on Sunday, as Veerraju demanded that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy tender an apology to Hindus, whose sentiments were hurt.
Vishnu said Somu Veerraju had lost his mental balance after his predecessor Kanna Lakshminarayana had left the BJP to join the TDP.
“He has gone completely mad and doesn’t know what he is speaking. In fact, it is only Jagan who has been trying to re-establish Hindu dharma, which was damaged during the TDP-BJP combine,” the YSRC leader said.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister (Endowments) Kottu Satyanarayana, Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, former ministers Kodali Nani and K Kannababu said the image was only depicting Jagan giving milk to a child at a temple with a caption that needy should be served and greeting people on the occasion of Shivaratri.
“Jagan respects every religion. It is not proper for the BJP to make baseless allegations against the YSRC,” they said.