By IANS
Hyderabad : Ruling Congress party activists in Andhra Pradesh Saturday staged protests in different parts of the state, condemning Christian evangelist K.A. Paul's allegations that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had asked for $5 million for party funds in December 2003 and demanded an apology.
Paul, president and founder of Global Peace Initiative (GPI), had Friday alleged that the chief minister had sought the money from him and promised to help GPI go overseas.
The protestors in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and other cities staged demonstrations and burnt Paul's effigies. They also tried to stop the priest when he arrived at Visakhapatnam airport and later laid siege to a house where he was staying.
Police had to intervene as some Congress leaders entered the house and argued with Paul.
In Hyderabad, the protestors attacked Paul's office and damaged the furniture.
Congress Legislature Party warned Paul of 'serious consequences' if he failed to withdraw his allegations against the chief minister and tender a public apology.
Some Congress leaders said they would file a defamation suit against Paul for making baseless allegations.
In another development, the authorities swung into action by issuing a notice to an institute run by Paul in Medak district. Revenue authorities have launched proceedings against the Paul Charity City to take back eight acres of assigned land or the land originally allotted for the poor.
Tension prevailed in Kakinada town in coastal Andhra Pradesh as the evangelist reached there to address a peace meeting this evening. The Congress activists even threatened to stop him.
Defending his allegations, Paul Saturday said the chief minister was instigating Congress workers against him. He challenged Reddy to undergo lie detector test.
Paul had claimed that since he had refused to pay money, Reddy and Congress president Sonia Gandhi scuttled GPI missions to anti-US countries. He alleged GPI had planned a peace mission comprising 25 MPs in 2005 to visit Iran, Syria, Libya and Venezuela but it was scuttled at the behest of Sonia Gandhi. He also alleged that his life was under threat from the chief minister.
Reddy, however, dismissed the allegations as 'wild' and 'baseless'. He admitted that he had visited the orphanage run by Paul's brother and at their request spoke to the Congress president to visit the orphanage. The chief minister said she did not evince interest.
Meanwhile, opposition leader and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu has also demanded a probe into Paul's allegations. He told newsmen here Saturday that the chief minister owed an explanation to people.