Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan made it clear that his Magha Maasa Deeksha, a religious tour to temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, was purely a pilgrimage and that there is no political reason behind it.
Pawan Kalyan has been affirming time and again that he is a staunch Sanatana Dharma supporter, in tune with his party’s alliance with the BJP, which raised doubts if he had politics or religion on his mind.
Speaking to mediapersons after visiting the Agastya Maharshi Ashram in Kerala, he said he wanted to visit the place since long. “I have a lot of spinal whiplash injuries and hence, been postponing it.”
To a query if the BJP was planning to gain some foothold through the Jana Senani’s tour, the Jana Sena chief said people will certainly think of political reason behind the tour but strongly said there was no politics in his mind during this tour.
Apparently, his four-day Sanatana Dharma tour also involves seeking medical advice for his ailments. Kerala is known for authentic ayurvedic treatment for long-term diseases like spondylitis, from which Kalyan is severely suffering.
“For the last four-and-a-half years, I have been planning to visit these temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to seek blessings of Lord Murugan.”
The Deputy CM said that people could easily think of some political reasons behind his visit to Kerala but stressed that his visit is personal and for religious reasons.
On the arrest of the accused in the Tirumala laddu adulteration scam, he said that the authorities would ensure that such incidents do not repeat.
Indirectly taking a dig at the YCP government, he said that people should not view temples and temple property as a monetary source.
Lord Balaji in Tirumala has devotees both in the nation and across the world. He took a pledge to ensure that the sentiments of the Hindu devotees are not hurt due to the lackadaisical attitude of the officials concerned. Pawan Kalyan said that he wanted to visit Sabarimala too both for pilgrimage and medical reasons.
There is a Siddhashram near Sabarimala and I would like to visit that too, he said.