Hyderabad, July 20 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Sunday that Hindus are forced to beg for funds for temples and festivals like Bonalu.

Participating in Bonalu celebrations at Lal Darwaza temple in the old city of Hyderabad, he remarked that Hindus of the old city pay taxes, current bills on time, while others don’t. “Yet our Hindu community is forced to beg for funds for our temples and festivals like Bonalu,” he said.

The BJP leader said if the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to power in Telangana, funds will be ensured so every Hindu can celebrate festivals with pride.

Bandi Sanjay alleged that some people had to leave the old city due to terrorist activities. Appealing to them to come back, he promised to provide protection to ‘Hindu society’.

The BJP leader also claimed that they have started a tradition for any political leader or celebrity from any part of the country coming to Hyderabad to visit the Bhagya Laxmi temple at Charminar for darshan.

Bandi Sanjay earlier participated in Bonalu celebrations at Bhagya Laxmi temple and offered prayers.

In 2021, as the then president of Telangana BJP, Bandi Sanjay had launched his ‘Praja Sangrama Yatra’ from the same temple.

Earlier in the day, state ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy offered prayers at the Bhagya Laxmi temple.

Telangana High Court judge Justice Surepalli Nanda, former Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, also offered prayers at Bhagya Laxmi temple.

The annual ‘Bonalu’ festival was celebrated in Hyderabad on Sunday in a traditional manner with thousands of devotees participating in the festivities at various temples.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with state ministers, offered silk robes to the deity on behalf of the state government at Simhavahini Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza.

The Deputy CM said they prayed for the development of the state and prosperity, and happiness for people. He said the state government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for Bonalu celebrations.

BJP National Vice President and Mahabubnagar MP D. K. Aruna visited Akkanna Madhanna Mahankali temple and performed special puja. She offered bonam to the Simhavahini temple.

Temple officials and festival committee members welcomed Aruna and made arrangements for her darshan.

–IANS

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