■   Madhavi Latha alleges Sri Pancha Lingala temple at Falaknuma shrunk from 3 acres to a few square yards

■   Demands include demolition of illegal constructions adjacent to the temple

■   A court order from 2007 mandates vacating the encroachments

■   Plans to submit a fresh representation at Prajavani on June 30

metro india news  I hyderabad

This Madhavi Latha is different in more ways than one. Vocal and rooted, she speaks both Telugu and Deccani with ease and has a distinct knack for drawing attention wherever she goes. On Wednesday, the BJP leader and former Hyderabad parliamentary candidate visited the Sri Pancha Lingala temple at Falaknuma, accompanied by party members, volunteers, and temple supporters.

The visit was part of a protest against the construction of a new building adjacent to the temple—constructions she alleged have been illegal encroachments for the past 50 years. A tense exchange took place between Madhavi Latha and residents of the adjoining buildings, who insisted their houses were registered. The situation quickly escalated as a crowd gathered in the temple premises, with police present at the scene. However, no untoward incident took place.

“We approached the collector, but unfortunately he seems to be siding with the encroachers, citing that they’ve been residing there for 50 years,” Madhavi Latha said. “It’s disheartening that the collector shows more concern for land grabbers than for temples or the Hindu community. If we don’t protect our temples today, there will be none left tomorrow.”

She claimed the Sri Pancha Lingala temple originally occupied three acres but has now been reduced to just a few square yards. “Several complaints have been submitted to both the Collector and the Endowments Department, yet no action has been taken,” she added.

Madhavi Latha, who heads the Vanara Sena team, announced that they would meet the collector again on June 30 to submit a fresh representation. “I will not rest until the encroachments are demolished,” she declared. She also cited a court order from 2007 that directs the removal of the illegal structures. “This is not just a protest—it’s a Bhagwan ko Bachao Andolan. If we don’t safeguard these lands now, tomorrow they could be handed over to Rohingyas.”

Taking aim at the authorities, she said, “The police are mere puppets in the hands of politicians.” Evoking historical figures, she concluded, “Ahilyabai Holkar defended Indore against invasions and atrocities. We too will leave no stone unturned in our mission to protect and preserve our temples.”