VIJAYAWADA: Expressing concern over the Annavaram temple’s move to hold bids for various rituals and services like marriages performed by Hindu priests, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has expressed his intent to wage a legal fight against it.

Addressing his last public meeting on the second leg of his poll campaign in erstwhile Godavari districts at Tanuku on Friday, PK said this was against the provisions of the Indian Constitution and against the AP Endowments Act. It would breach the right to freedom of religion provided under Article 25 in the Constitution, he said.

Criticising chief minister Jagan Reddy for “showing disrespect” to Hindu Dharma, he challenged him whether he could adopt the same for Muslims and Christians.

PK urged the CM not to meddle in religious matters and maintain equidistance in such sensitive matters. The state government may intervene in matters like sale of coconuts, flowers, prasadam, renting out of shops and other activities at the temple, he said.

Exhorting Jagan Reddy “not to trouble Hindus” in religious matters, the Jana Sena leader said, “All of us are Andhrites, Indians and living together with religious harmony.”

Referring to the CAG report that said huge sums meant for panchayat raj was being diverted for other purposes in AP, leaving the gram panchayats with no funds and that there has been diversion of funds to volunteers from what’s meant for other purposes, PK said he would legally challenge such diversion of funds by the state government.

Pawan Kalyan expressed concern over how the prices of essential commodities went up during the term of the YSR Congress government. He flayed civil supplies minister KVN Rao for “abusing” the farmers by calling them as ‘Yerri Pappa’ when they approached him with a complaint of sprouted paddy due to rains. Their submission to the minister was that their produce was not being procured by the authorities and that he must intervene and help them, PK noted.

Alleging that the chief minister was imposing curbs in the implementation of several welfare schemes like Amma Vodi and reneging on his poll promise on issues like abolition of Contributory Pension Scheme to restore the Old Pension Scheme, the actor-politician said Jagan Reddy was suffering from some health problem and hence resorting to lying.

Again raising the issue of volunteers collecting personal data of citizens, PK said this was illegal.

“The number of belt shops have gone up to three lakh under YSR Congress rule against the 1.60 lakh during the TD rule. Disha app is of no use when 3,372 women were raped and several women went missing in AP,” he said.