Telugu Desam Party leaders, who always looked for opportunities to attack the YSR Congress party, have found yet another reason to criticise the ruling party leaders.
A couple of days ago, the TDP leaders found fault with Andhra Pradesh minister for tourism Muthamsetty Srinivasa Rao alias Avanti Srinivasa Rao, for wearing chappals while practising Ayyappa Deeksha for the last few days.
They attributed it to Avanti’s lack of respect for Hindu customs and alleged that he was insulting Hindu dharma.
But on Tuesday, Avanti gave a clarification as to why he had to wear the footwear while being in deeksha.
“I am forced to wear chappals because of my health problems and the doctors have advised me to compulsorily wear the footwear. Even when I was in TDP as a Lok Sabha member and was wearing Mala, I used to wear chappals," he said,
Avanti pointed out that even former TDP MP from Rajahmundry and actor Murali Mohan also wears chappals and shoes while he is on Ayyappa deeksha.
“It is because of health reasons and such people are given exemptions in the deeksha,” he said.
Stating that nobody would follow Hinduism more than him, Avanti alleged that the TDP leaders and their boss N Chandrababu Naidu were making unnecessary criticism on trivial issues like Ayyappa Deeksha and English medium.