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Seeking to portray late Andhra Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's wife Vijayamma as a person favouring one religion, the Telegu Desam Party has decided to launch a campaign against her.
The reaction came soon after Vijayamma was seen at rallies in Andhra Pradesh holding a bible in the hand. Many of her political opponents raised a hue and cry over the issue.
When questioned, Vijayamma put out a clarification stating that she held the holy book, as it gave her the strength. She added that her late husband was a tolerant man and did not believe in one particular religion.
Vijayamma's clarification on the issue, according to many, is a case where she has been lured into the trap and YSR Congress members are now trying hard to give a quietus to the situation.
However, the clarification has given the TDP enough ammunition to continue targeting her.
They claim that while the YSR Congress calls itself secular, what is the need of propagating one religion by holding a Bible in the hand.
The TDP says that it gives out a wrong signal and gives the impression that she is propagating one particular religion.
However, the YSR Congress has rubbished this claim and say that it is a defence for the statements that Chandrababu Naidu has been making. He is seeking to differentiate among the religions by seeking categorisation of castes in Andhra Pradesh.
Why is it that the TDP cannot look at the people of Andhra Pradesh as one? This is an unwanted controversy and the YSR Congress does not believe in dividing Andhra Pradesh on the lines of caste or religion, party sources told rediff.com.
However, within the YSR Congress, they would want to ensure that the issue dies a natural death.
Many feel that a clarification was not needed on the issue and that it could send across wrong signals to the rest of the communities.