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Andhra Newsletter Evangelism by governance YSR style By S.V. Badri Y. ?Samuel? Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is proving to be the greatest facilitator of Christian missionary work in Andhra. A few days ago, he ensured the entry of JRG Wealth Management Limited, an organisation owned by a Kochi based Syrian Christian, G.B. Mathew, into the decision making and procurement process of prasadam materials for Ugranam of Venkateshwara temple in Tirupati. And now, he has gone ahead in bringing in a deal between the SVIMS (Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Sciences owned and run by the TTD) and the Frontier Lifeline and Dr K.M. Cherian Heart Foundation of Chennai. Dr Cherian is a Christian and the founder of Madrasa Medical Mission, a true missionary hospital in Chennai. This telemedicine facility was inaugurated by YSR recently through interaction with Dr Cherian and his team through a video conference. Without intending to belittle the professional competence of Dr Cherian, one is amazed and deeply hurt that the Chief Minister could not pick up hospitals owned and run by Hindus for a tie up with a premier institution owned by one of the most sacred temples of the Hindus. And the money for which comes from common Hindu devotees like you and me. There are at least a dozen or more institutions that can match up, rival and even surpass the facilities offered by Dr Cherian and his team. Perhaps, YSR does not consider hospitals owned and run by Hindus as worthy of this alliance. Hospitals of eminence like the Apollo Hospitals (incidentally, the chairman, Dr Pratap C Reddy comes from Aragonda, about 40 kms from Tirupathi and Apollo has a hospital facility at Aragonda also), Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Hospitals, Sri Sai Baba?s wonderful hospital at Puttaparthi, Mata Amritanandamayi?s hospital at Kochi, Narayana Hridayalaya of Bangalore, the Escorts Hospital or for that matter any super speciality hospital run by Hindus in his capital city-Hyderabad, as worthy of associating with SVIMS. YSR has also laid foundations for construction of Vasantha Mandapam in Tirumala, renovation and construction of a new building for the Sri Venkateshwara Oriental College in Tirupati. One should get into the details of which firm of contractors has been awarded the contract for construction. One will not be surprised if the study would reveal Christians being the benefactors of such contracts. Cost of the projects- is estimated at Rs 109 crores. The converts like YSR are under constant compulsion to prove their loyalty to the Church. What next Reddy? Affliliate the TTD veda pathashala to the Vatican? Go ahead. No body will raise their little finger in protest as you systematically siphon temple funds for proselytisation. One is amazed and deeply hurt that the Chief Minister could not pick up hospitals owned and run by Hindus for a tie up with a premier institution owned by one of the most sacred temples of the Hindus. And the money for which comes from common Hindu devotees. There are at least a dozen or more institutions that can match up, rival and even surpass the facilities offered by Dr Cherian and his team. One is sure that by the end of his tenure, YSR will annexe TTD to Opus Dei. Perhaps, with Hindu passivity at such a peak, he might even manage to replace the shankha/chakra with the cross.

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