The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demands that the government put an immediate end to illegal attempts by some sections to convert Gonthenamma Temple into Ramalayam in Akividu in West Godavari District. We also urge the government to ensure that religious harmony and law and order aren’t disturbed in Akividu.
Following reports of tensions in Pedapeta area in Akividu over Gonthenamma Temple, a 4-member HRF team visited Akividu on March 29 for a fact-finding exercise and spoke with the locals.
The structure under controversy in Akividu has been a Choultry since 1920 and has also served as a temple for Gonthenamma, a Kuladevata of Malas, a Dalit community. There is also a Nandi idol in this Choultry-cum-temple. The names of local Dalit families who contributed to the construction of this Choultry-cum-temple are etched on the stone-slab floor. It had been a tradition until recently to celebrate Jatara under the auspices of this temple. However, this Choultry-cum-temple has never been a temple as is understood in the conventional sense. It was primarily a Choultry with an idol of Gonthenamma on one side.
That aside, a couple of decades ago, a few people installed cement idols of Rama and Seetha inside this temple with the express permission of the caretaker of the Gonthenamma temple. However, there is no record of these cement idols worshipped by anybody over the decades. As time passed, Gonthenamma worship also stopped, and the Choultry fell into disuse.
A few weeks ago, a news article appeared in Sakshi newspaper highlighting the dilapidated condition of the temple. Following this, local RSS leaders declared that they would construct Ramalayam at this exact location. However, local Dalits objected to the demolition of their Gonthenamma temple for the construction of Ramalayam.
Not heeding this opposition, Deputy Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Undi Constituency, K. Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju, visited the temple on March 7, along with his followers and RSS members. Despite being aware of the local opposition to the plan to construct a Ramalayam, he declared that he would construct a Ramalayam at the same spot, come what may. Not stopping at that, he ridiculed Dalits, particularly those who attend Church. The situation escalated, and his followers along with RSS members attacked local Dalits. The police registered two cases- one against the local Dalits and the other against members of the entourage of the Deputy Speaker.
Subsequently, members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) posted objectionable content targeting Dalits on social media. While the situation remained tense, Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju stated that “Dalit Christians are obstructing Hindus from conducting Puja at the temple.” It doesn’t behoove a constitutional post holder to issue such statements when the situation is already vitiated. He visited the temple once again on March 27, on the occasion of Sri Rama Navami, with hundreds of his followers and police support, and performed Puja at the temple. His followers provoked the local Dalits with their comments, leading to a scuffle. Locals say that existing differences between local leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) also contributed partly to the scuffle.
The Akividu police filed a First Information Report (FIR) (FIR No. 77/2026, 27.03.2026) against 58 Dalits under various sections, including one pertaining to attempt to murder, upon a complaint by a Jana Sena Party leader, Gavara Anil Kumar. However, the police haven’t filed FIR against the members of the ruling alliance who hurt local Dalits during the scuffle. Among them is one Madde Kishore. He was, in fact, a leader of TDP SC Cell, Narsapuram Constituency, until he was removed from the post subsequent to the incident. Of the 58 booked, 27 were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
The one-sided action of the police makes it very clear that they are working under the direction of the Deputy Speaker. The locality is now swarmed with police personnel. This deployment of police is for no reason except to scare the local Dalits into submission. Following this scuffle and high-handed police action, men of Pedapeta locality have left their houses and are living somewhere else. The statements of the Chief Minister and the deputy Chief minister that some sections are obstructing Hindus from carrying out Puja are nothing but an exercise in ignorance of ground realities.
HRF demands that the police immediately identify the people who attacked Dalits on March 27 and also those who posted objectional content on social media, register FIR against them under relevant sections, and release people who were not involved in the scuffle on March 27. We also demand the government order an investigation to go to the root of the matter and identify those responsible for vitiating the atmosphere.
Y. Rajesh (HRF Andhra Pradesh State general secretary)
A. Ravi (HRF Andhra Pradesh State vice president)
G. Rohith (HRF Andhra Pradesh State secretary)
M. Srinivasa Rao (HRF East Godavari District Executive Committee member)
30.03.2026,
Vijayawada