VIJAYAWADA: The Guntur Municipal Corporation has started works to protect the Jinnah Tower by erecting a fence around it for safety purpose in view of BJP threats to demolish it. Mayor Manohar Naidu accompanied by the GMC and police officials went to the Jinnah tower and reviewed the works on Thursday.
The mayor said the tower was a symbol of freedom movement and Hindu-Muslim unity but the BJP is trying to disrupt communal harmony by raising such issues. The police installed a picket at the tower in this context. The GMC will erect the fencing around the tower in two days’ time.
He criticised the statement of BJP president Somu Veerraju that the party would ensure sale of liquor at Rs 50 per bottle if it came to power in the state.
“BJP leader LK Advani had praised Jinnah as a great freedom fighter, during his visit to Jinnah’s mausoleum in Pakistan. Now, the party is speaking against Jinnah. It is true that a person by name Singh submitted a proposal to Guntur municipality in 1966, seeking renaming of the Jinnah tower as Hamid tower but the proposal was rejected by the Guntur municipal council then led by Sanakkayala Ankamma,” the mayor said.
He said Chief Minister Jagan was also reluctant to change the name of Jinnah tower. “BJP is trying to create communal disturbance by raising the tower issue but the government will not allow such conspiracies to disturb peace,” he added.
