Telangana HC Seeks Explanation On Peddamma Temple Demolition
The court was dealing with a petition filed by Palle Vinod Kumar Reddy of Himayatnagar, Hyderabad, seeking an order to the collector and tahsildar to take up the construction of the temple within a specified timeframe and at the expense of the state government.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the state government to furnish details on the demolition of the Peddamma Annavaram temple at MLA Quarters, Road No. 12 in Banjara Hills. The court also ordered the authorities that the statue of Peddamma deity should be kept safe. It has directed the Hyderabad collector and tahsildar to file a counter affidavit and adjourned the next hearing to August 18.
The court was dealing with a petition filed by Palle Vinod Kumar Reddy of Himayatnagar, Hyderabad, seeking an order to the collector and tahsildar to take up the construction of the temple within a specified timeframe and at the expense of the state government. He also sought an order for a court-supervised judicial inquiry into the removal of the statue and action to be taken against the responsible officials.
The petitioner submitted, “The demolition of the Peddamma Talli temple on July 24 and the removal of the statue is illegal. It is a violation of Articles 14, 21, 25 and 26 of the Constitution. The deity should be reinstalled in the sanctum sanctorum at the same place where it was before the demolition, with religious rituals, under the supervision of the Endowment Department, in consultation with the local devotees.”
