Andhra Pradesh forms 'communal harmony committees' amid temple vandalisms

NewsBharati    08-Jan-2021 13:03:28 PM
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Amravati, January 08: Taking steps against temple vandalisms, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Thursday formed state and district level ‘communal harmony committees' in a bid to enhance security at places of worships.
 
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According to the government, the committee will have 7 members. The state-level committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary as the Chairman, while the district level committee will be headed by the District Collector. Apart from Chief Secretary, it will also comprise the DGP, principal secretaries (Home, Endowments, Minority Welfare, Political), and one member from Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Other communities.
 
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Besides spreading messages of communal harmony in the state, the role of these committees is to prepare detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for different situations that can cause communal disharmony, prepare guidelines related to the security plan of all religious buildings, structures, and monuments.
 
The committee will also review all the cases booked under different sections of IPC against the culprits for disturbing communal harmony at the district level. It will also take necessary actions in all the issues discussed by the District Communal Harmony Committee. They are entrusted to expose and take stern action against perpetrators who intend to disturb religious harmony in the state.
 
Apart from it, the committee will take up programs in schools and colleges that inculcate the spirit of togetherness and communal harmony in the children.
 
This action has come amid rising incidents of attacks on temples in the state. A few weeks ago, a 400-year-old idol of Lord Rama at the Sri Rama Swamy Devasthanam in Vizianagaram district was found in a desecrated condition. Similarly, Lord Subrahmanya Swamy's idol in Lord Vigneshwara temple of Rajahmundry district was also found in the same condition. Yesterday Goddess Sita idol was found broken in the Sitaram Temple near Pandit Nehru Busstop in Vijayawada.