State Home Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar has demanded criminal proceedings against the Congress MLA from Thungathurtha Mandala Samuel for making “derogatory remarks” against Hindu dharma.
Mr. Sanjay accused Mr. Samuel of making derogatory remarks against Hinduism at a Congress meeting at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday.
Before launching his 40-km ‘Anjanna Ashirvada Padayatra’ in Karimnagar on Saturday, Mr. Sanjay had alleged to the media that Mr. Samuel had made offensive remarks against Hindu dharma. Mr. Sanjay said he should be barred from contesting the election for trying to disturb communal amity.
He said, “Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy should apologize to the Hindu society and expel Mr. Samuel from the party for his provocative remarks.”
Later, Mr. Sanjay started his 40-km padayatra to the Kondagattu hill shrine in Jagtial district to fulfill his earlier promise to visit the famous temple dedicated to Lord Anjanna (Hanuman) on foot if the BJP wins the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation.
Dozens of BJP leaders and cadres, including Karimnagar Mayor K. Srinivas, Deputy Mayor Y. Sunil Rao and all BJP city corporators, apart from a few sarpanches, participated in the padayatra among others.
Hordes of youths, mainly ardent devotees of Lord Anjann, walked with Mr. Sanjay from Karimnagar to Kondagatt.
People queued up along the padayatra route to greet Mr Sanjay even as BJP cadres raised slogans of ‘Jai Hanuman’ and waved saffron flags on the way to Kondagatt.
A mild ruckus prevailed at Konaraopet in Ramadugu mandal when a swarm of bees attacked the participants of the padayatra on Saturday afternoon. Three BJP cadres sustained minor injuries in the incident. A mobile medical team provided them with first aid.
The padayatra led by Mr. Sanjay reached the Kondagattu hill shrine around 8.45 pm after covering a distance of 40 km.
Published – 14 March 2026 21:38 IST
