Back in 2020, HinduPost published an article based on a representation made by a legal rights body about Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita in the Jagan Reddy government allegedly misrepresenting herself as a Scheduled Caste Hindu to contest elections from a reserved constituency, even though she had converted to Christianity. There was evidence of her admitting to being a Christian in a video interview.
Cut to 2024, following the election of the Telugu Desam Party to power and the appointment of Vangalapudi Anitha as the Minister of Home and Disaster Management in the Chandrababu Naidu government, questions have been raised about her alleged allegiance to Christianity.
This stems from a video that was in circulation back in 2018 following her appointment to the TTD Board. In the video, Anitha is seen saying, “I’m Christian. Even now, there will be a Bible in my bag and one in my car. I don’t go out without it.”
This video went viral, and the BJYM demanded that she be removed from the position.
Upon checking the video, it appears to cut off abruptly as she says ‘but’ after her statement; it is not clear what she may have said after this. Because of the controversy, Anitha addressed the media and stated that certain individuals had tampered with and edited the video, alleging the involvement of the YSRCP. Anitha asserted that she was born into a Hindu family, as both her parents and her husband belong to the Madiga community, which is classified as a Scheduled Caste in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking to The New Indian Express, she said, “Generally, many people think that SC people are Christians. Similarly, a few of my family members and relatives are Christians. But my father and mother have never converted to another religion. The YSRC members might have edited and started circulating the video to create a controversy.”
She further added, “Being a teacher in the initial stage of my career, I am habituated to reading books. For me, all religions are equal. I read all religious books like the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Quran, apart from other interesting books of various genres.”
Well, it is still not clear whether Anitha is a true-blue Hindu or a crypto-Christian like many other ministers in successive Andhra Pradesh governments. It is noteworthy that even Chandrababu Naidu’s wife and daughter-in-law were seen at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Rajahmundry in September 2023 to pray for the release of Naidu, who was in judicial custody in a multi-crore skill development scam case.
Naidu was seen celebrating “semi-Christmas” organised by the TDP’s Christian wing at the party’s central office in Mangalagiri. He expressed dismay over the YSR government’s discontinuing grants to Christian missionaries. He emphasised that previous governments provided financial aid to support the commendable work done by Christian missionaries in establishing educational institutions, hospitals, and asylums. During the celebration, Chandrababu declared the TDP’s commitment to recognising Dalit Christians as Scheduled Castes (SCs) if the party comes to power. He pledged to fund the repair of churches in every constituency, provide a livelihood allowance to pastors, and consider demands for funding the Christian Corporation, construction of Christian buildings, and offering a 50% concession for pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
Pawan Kalyan emerged as a Hindu superhero after the picture below went viral on social media.
But back in 2016, speaking at a public rally, he is seen to have said, “My daughter is a Christian and prays to Jesus.”
Again, it is not clear whether he made these statements to appease the audience, who may have been largely Christian, or whether it is really true that Pawan Kalyan’s daughter is a Christian.
It is noteworthy that Pawan Kalyan is married to a Russian lady of Christian faith. However, there are also claims that both he and his wife are devout Hindus.
Given the nature of Andhra Pradesh and the deep penetration of proselytisation and conversion efforts carried out by missionaries over the past decades, one may not be surprised if any of these people or the ministers in the Naidu cabinet turn out to be crypto-Christians.
That said, just before taking charge as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh state for the fourth time, Chandrababu Naidu visited Tirumala Tirupati temple and vowed to cleanse the temple, governance of corruption, and promised that he would ensure only chants of Govinda are heard at the temple. We will have to wait and watch for the outcome of these statements.
