Hyderabad — Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao has hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its alleged silence regarding the encroachment of nearly 890 acres of land belonging to the historic Seetha Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam, Telangana.
Taking to social media platform X on Friday, KTR questioned Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy’s inaction over the issue and accused the party of prioritizing political alliances in Andhra Pradesh over the protection of temple property.
“Why isn’t Bhadrachalam land sacrosanct enough for the BJP to protect? 889.5 acres of our Bhadrachalam temple land have been grabbed in Andhra Pradesh, and not a word from the BJP? Is it because you have to protect the interests of your political alliance in Andhra Pradesh?” KTR posted.
He urged BJP leaders to rise above party politics and take a stand for the temple. “Please raise your voice despite your political affiliations, and let us fight to bring back our Bhadrachalam land that is grabbed by encroachers despite the High Court’s orders,” he added.
The land in question is located in Purushothapatnam, a village that became part of Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharamaraju district following the bifurcation of Telangana in 2014. Despite a directive from the Andhra Pradesh High Court to restore the land to the temple, encroachments have reportedly continued unabated.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when the temple’s Executive Officer, L. Rama Devi, was assaulted by villagers while attempting to stop illegal constructions on the disputed land. The incident occurred on Tuesday during her inspection visit to Purushothapatnam in Etapaka Mandal. Rama Devi fainted after being confronted and allegedly manhandled by a mob and was later hospitalized in Bhadrachalam.
The Bhadrachalam temple, a prominent religious site in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district, holds significant cultural and historical importance. The ongoing dispute over its land and the violence against temple officials have drawn sharp criticism from political leaders and devotees alike.
The BRS has demanded immediate intervention from both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments, as well as the Centre, to protect temple property and uphold court orders.
