Chandrababu is Anti-Hindu; AP Govt Responsible for Devotees Deaths: Kasibugga Temple Stampede

Former Minister Vellampalli Srinivas launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his coalition government, holding them directly responsible for the Kasibugga temple stampede that claimed nine lives. Calling it a “complete administrative collapse,” Vellampalli said the tragedy exposed the government’s gross negligence and moral bankruptcy.

Speaking at the YSRCP central office, he accused the government of shamelessly evading responsibility by citing that the temple was privately managed. “Does the government’s duty to protect citizens vanish because a temple is private?” he asked. “Public or private, ensuring safety and crowd control is the government’s job. Can the state simply abandon devotees because the temple isn’t under its department?”

Vellampalli denounced the statements of Chief Minister Naidu, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and other ministers as “irresponsible and insensitive,” saying their attempts to deflect blame only deepened public outrage. He said the tragedy reflected a disturbing pattern of failures since the coalition assumed power — recalling how six devotees died during Mukkoti Ekadashi at Tirumala and seven more in a wall collapse at Simhachalam.

The former minister also cited the demolition of the Kashi Nayyana shrine as an affront to Hindu sentiments, accusing the government of desecrating sacred spaces for political convenience. “This regime has no devotion to God, no compassion for devotees — only an unholy obsession with publicity,” he remarked.

Drawing parallels to the 2015 Godavari Pushkaram stampede, which claimed 29 lives under Naidu’s previous tenure, Vellampalli said history was repeating itself. “That tragedy too was born out of Chandrababu’s hunger for cameras and self-promotion. Nothing has changed — only the victims have.”

In a blistering critique, he branded Naidu’s rule as anti-Hindu, recalling how over 40 temples were demolished in Vijayawada under his administration, with idols transported in garbage trucks. “He calls Lord Venkateswara his family deity, yet performs rituals wearing shoes — removing them only before businessmen like Ramoji Rao,” he alleged.

Vellampalli also slammed Home Minister Anitha for claiming the government had “no role” in the incident. “How can intelligence fail to anticipate massive crowds during Karthika Masam and an Ekadashi weekend when thousands throng daily? Is intelligence being used only to track YSRCP leaders instead of safeguarding the public?” he questioned.

Demanding accountability, he urged the government to own up to its failure, compensate the victims’ families, and institute strict safety protocols at all temples. “Devotees visit temples seeking blessings, not death. These are not accidents — they are state-sponsored deaths caused by indifference and incompetence. If people can’t return home safely after darshan, what kind of governance are we living under?” he thundered.