Only Hindus Should Be Employed at Tirumala Temple, Asserts Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
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Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu declared that only Hindus should work at the Venkateswara Swamy temple, ensuring respect for all faiths involved. He announced plans to safeguard the temple's sanctity and proposed building temples in state capitals.
Key Takeaways
- CM Naidu insists on Hindu-only employment at the Tirumala temple.
- Non-Hindu employees will be relocated with respect.
- Revocation of land allotments for projects threatening temple sanctity.
- Plans for Venkateswara Swamy temples in every state capital.
- Commitment to maintain temple sanctity and oppose commercialization.
Tirupati, March 21 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, stated on Friday that employment at the Venkateswara Swamy temple should be exclusively for Hindus.
He emphasized that if there are Christians or individuals of other faiths working in the temple, they will be moved to different positions with due respect, ensuring their feelings are not hurt.
Naidu clarified that if institutions run by Christians and Muslims prefer not to have Hindus working there, the government will take necessary actions to honor their sentiments.
The Chief Minister further announced the revocation of 35 acres of land allocation in Tirupati intended for Devalok, MRKR, and Mumtaz Hotel projects, aiming to preserve the sanctity of the area. He criticized the former YSR Congress Party government for these allocations.
Recently, Hindu religious leaders had protested, urging the TDP-led coalition government to halt the construction of hotels and other ventures that could compromise the sacredness of the location.
Additionally, the Chief Minister revealed plans to establish Venkateswara Swamy temples in every state capital across the nation. CM Naidu mentioned he would reach out to chief ministers of all states for support in building these temples.
He made these comments to the media after meeting with board members and officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) following a visit to the temple with his family to celebrate his grandson Devansh's birthday.
Chandrababu Naidu encouraged the TTD board members and staff to take proactive measures in preserving the sanctity of the temple and ensuring no sacrilegious acts occur.
The Chief Minister affirmed that the seven hills are sacred to Venkateswara Swamy, and their sanctity must be upheld. He stated that commercialization of the area would not be tolerated.
Over the past five years, he has worked diligently to safeguard the sanctity of Tirumala. Since assuming office in June last year, he has initiated cleansing efforts in Tirumala.
He also committed to protecting the properties of the Tirumala temple globally, noting that many devotees abroad wish to establish Venkateswara Swamy temples.
A trust will be created to facilitate the construction of Venkateswara Swamy temples in villages across the state.
Earlier, Naidu worshipped at the temple with his family, who sponsored a day of ‘Anna prasadam’ (meals for devotees) in honor of Devansh. Naidu and his family personally served food to the devotees.
He reminisced that former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao initiated the ‘Anna Danam’ program, which has seen its corpus fund grow to Rs 2,200 crore through contributions from devotees.
