Rama Rajyam leader Veera Raghava Reddy's utterances and actions might seem like that of an unsound mind, but a close look of the outfit reveals a different story — of hate, divisiveness and intolerance.
Published Feb 13, 2025 | 6:00 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 13, 2025 | 6:43 PM
Veera Raghava Reddy of the Rama Rajya Sena claims he is a descendant of the Ikshvaku dynasty.
Synopsis: The attack on Chilukuru Balaji Temple priest CS Rangarajan has triggered questions over fringe communal outfits like Rama Rajyam that thrive on superstitions and falsehood. Such organisations with divisive agenda spread communal venom in society, and it’s time that all come together to check their growth.
They were nearly 20 men. Led by Veera Raghava Reddy, the founder of a fringe pro-Hindu outfit, Rama Rajyam, barged into the residence of CS Rangarajan, the head priest of the Chilukuru Balaji Temple, on Hyderabad outskirts, on 7 February.
The men abused and assaulted the elderly priest for about 40 minutes. A video, reportedly shot by the Rama Rajyam Sena, showed the priest cowering while the miscreants kicked and beat him up. Raghava Reddy was shown shouting at him.
In the short video, Raghava Reddy was seen claiming to be a descendant of the mythical Ikshvaku dynasty to which Lord Rama belonged.
Raghava Reddy demanded that priests in all villages must reclaim and restore land to the Ishvaku family. He quoted Lord Ram to drive in his point that the land belonged to the Ishvakus.
He claimed that priests, through their knowledge of genealogy, could identify Ishvakus and Vaishyas. He wanted to use this knowledge to recruit people to the Rama Rajyam Sena.
The man warned that any priest who failed to do so would be unworthy of his title. He also recited a few verses in a theatric performance to support his claim.
Raghava Reddy further showered profanities on police officers, government officials, and judges. He even threatened to lynch judges.
Typically, Raghava Reddy’s rants would have been ignored as the ramblings of an unsound mind. However, his dramatic rendering of dialogues, twisted sentences, and mannerisms resembled a third-grade actor. His actions and utterings gave the impression of an escaped mental patient — or one who should be immediately put in a lunatic asylum.
Some claimed that he was acting “mad” to cover up the crime. A few right-wing Hindu propagandists even came out with a theory — albeit the Rama Rajyam itself releasing the video — that communists or Maoists were behind the attack on Rangarajan.
However, it is not easy to whitewash Raghava Reddy or his acts. The Rama Rajyam website has his speeches, statements, and announcements of the plan to recruit “soldiers.”
The website debunks the theory about Raghava Reddy’s mental health — or a lack of it. The contents reflect the same religious fundamentalism and intolerance promoted by various outfits that form the Sangh Parivar.
The problem is not just with Raghava Reddy or his blind, thoughtless followers. In today’s society, this madness — as exhibited by Raghava Reddy at the priest’s residence — has become the norm. For over a century, Sangh Parivar organisations have been trying to spread, nurture, and incite such madness.
Over the past 11 years, this madness has been exacerbated, resulting in extreme and hysterical outbursts.
Therefore, this issue is not just about Raghava Reddy or the Rama Rajya Sena. For decades, organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been spreading poison and hatred, and deliberately stoking these fires. They are now condemning the Rama Rajyam’s act and expressing sympathy for Rangarajan.
Since a prominent Hindu priest was at the receiving end, the incident sparked widespread protests and discussions. The incident has been widely condemned, and leaders from all political parties are visiting the temple to express their sympathies to Rangarajan.
The government announced action against the perpetrators, and the police arrested six people, including Raghava Reddy.
However, the incident was neither the first nor the last in Telangana. Sangh Parivar mobs have been continuously attacking individuals with opposing views, Muslims and Christians. They continue spreading hate propaganda and inciting violence.
In the last two years, there have been at least 20 significant incidents in Telangana alone, with dozens more that went unnoticed, unreported, or were ignored by the police.
There may be direct or indirect reasons behind this attack on the priest. There may also be untold reasons. In reality, the temple and the people associated with it, including Soundararajan and Rangarajan, are part of the same Hindutva framework.
The way Soundararajan, father of Rangarajan, took control of the Katta Maisamma Temple, which was once a village deity temple in a Hyderabad suburb, and how his family, with Tamil origins, gained control of the temple and the 200 acres on which it was supposedly located, needs investigation.
He was a clever man who, without any accountability, ensured the temple came under his direct control, avoiding government intervention and appointment of a trust and executive officer. He fought even in the Supreme Court to exempt the temple from laws and ensure it could operate “on its terms.”
He propagated false beliefs, including one that claimed a visa would be granted if someone did 11 rounds of circumambulation, making the god “Visa Balaji.” He also created a myth that those who got visas — thanks to the blessing of the god — should perform 108 circumambulations at the temple. He frequently proclaimed that establishing the Rama Rajyam was his goal.
While propagating such superstitions, both father and son gained a reputation as cultured and reformist individuals, trying to appear progressive. They used the opportunity of a Dalit person riding on their shoulders, called Munivahana Seva, during a temple procession to show that they were not caste-biased.
Reports suggested that Raghava Reddy was incensed over these progressive views and attempted to claim control of temple assets. Other reports said that the attack was fueled by a failure to secure significant funds for the Rama Rajyam Sena from the priest.
The priest’s family has succeeded in manipulating people’s religious beliefs for their self-interest. Raghava Reddy is now using the same approach against the priest with a violent touch.
Raghava Reddy has consistently claimed that he has been working towards establishing Rama Rajyam, just like the temple priests. Just as the priest spread false beliefs about visas and the number of circumambulations required, Raghava Reddy continues to make absurd claims about being a descendant of the Ikshvaku dynasty, just like Lord Rama. His statements are delusions.
While people may see Raghava Reddy as insane or full of superstitions, the Rama Rajyam website, in operation for nine years, shows disturbing videos where he has sworn, through his followers, that he is ready to die or kill for the establishment of Rama Rajyam.
According to the laws of this country, both suicide and murder are punishable crimes. Anyone who forces people to swear to commit such crimes is not insane but a criminal who incites violence.
The Sangh Parivar wants the majority of the population to inculcate such ignorance, violence, and criminal tendencies. The RSS shakhas teach how to wield weapons and spread venom and hatred against other religious communities.
Some organisations in its stable provide training in deadly weapons like swords and revolvers and openly display them. These organisations aim to spread hatred, incite violence, and divide society, transforming it into a political tool for their gain.
They have even assassinated individuals like Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare, and Gauri Lankesh, who opposed their views to spread fear in society. The murderers and their accomplices are being honoured in public by the same organizations.
Religious beliefs and prayers, where people trust that their problems will be resolved by some supernatural divine intervention, are personal and spiritual. They have not caused any major problems in society for thousands of years. However, turning these beliefs into blind superstitions, hatred, and violence is a completely different matter. This is a strategy deliberately implemented by political leaders for their social, political, and economic benefit.
The Sangh Parivar has, for a hundred years, used its countless affiliates to bring Hindu religious beliefs into the public sphere, attempting to turn innocent Hindus into violent extremists.
Recognising the dangers of this madness and understanding its destructive potential for society, everyone needs to fight against it at every step and every moment. It is everyone’s responsibility to reject and prevent this toxic madness.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
