TDP leaders from 13 districts collectively resign in protest
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Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) – Leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh collectively resigned from the party in protest of the party president Chandrababu Naidu’s remark about the Christian missionaries. Naidu said that Christian Missionaries promote religious conversion near major temples in the state. The leaders who resigned criticised Naidu’s statement. Earlier Christian organisations staged agitations to demand Naidu’s apology.
Why many Christian leaders in #AndhraPradesh are miffed with #Chandrababu Naiduhttps://t.co/riMP8CIbJ5
— The News Minute (@thenewsminute) January 13, 2021
- Telugu Desam Party’s leader Phillip Tocher resigned with the comment that, ‘I am pained to inform you that I am resigning from the TDP’s active membership. Christian community in the state is questioning my role in the TDP.’
- Varaprasada Rao, a Dalit Christian rights leader from Vijaywada accused Naidu of making such statements to survive in politics.
- John Benny Lingam, another Christian leader from Krishna district who supported TDP in the 2019 elections wrote to the Superintendent of Police that, ‘Naidu is using his men to break the idols, and pushing the crime on Christians.’