Recently sworn-in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited the the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala as his first pilgrimage on 13 June 2024. The three-time Chief Minister took oath for the fourth time at Vijayawada and visited the temple to offer his prayers and vowed to “cleanse” the Tirupati-Tirumala administration (TTD) of corruption.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Naidu alleged there were irregularities in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the Venkateswara temple, during the erstwhile Jagan Mohan Reddy regime. The TDP supremo said he was committed to eliminating corruption and protecting Hindu Dharma in Tirumala. “Cleansing in the state will start from Tirumala. In Tirumala, nothing but the chanting of Govinda’s name will be heard. It is not right to desecrate the sacred Tirumala. When you come to Tirumala, you get the feeling of Vaikuntha. There should be no other slogan on Tirumala except Om Namo Venkatesaya. Tirumala has changed for the worse in the last five years,” he said.
Chandrababu Naidu vows Tirumala administration cleanup after he visits temple pic.twitter.com/ihN50E2uhN
— Akshita Nandagopal (@Akshita_N) June 13, 2024
It is noteworthy that senior Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officer AV Dharma Reddy, executive officer of the TTD, went on a week-long leave ahead of Naidu’s visit, fueling speculation that he wanted to avoid facing the new CM. The NDA allies – TDP, BJP, and Jana Sena Party – have long alleged that Dharma Reddy indulged in irregularities during his tenure.
Accompanied by his family members, the Chief Minister took a special flight to Tirupati on Wednesday evening and then travelled by road to Tirumala, where he spent the night. Early Thursday morning, he offered prayers at the sacred hill temple.
However, there were protocol lapses during Naidu’s visit, as TTD officials, including JEO V Veerabrahmam and CVSO D Narasimha Kishore, did not come out to receive him when he arrived at Gayatri Nilayam guest house. Naidu expressed his displeasure over this lapse. His son Nara Lokesh also criticized the police for excessive security arrangements, likening it to the previous regime.
Naidu and his family offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara Swamy at the iconic Tirumala temple around 8 AM, marking his maiden visit as the Chief Minister.
Additionally, back in 2022, Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan demanded to free Hindu temples from government control in Andhra Pradesh. He had said, “If this is a secular Country, why can’t Govts have control over Churches and mosques, but only Hindu Temples?”
If this is a secular Country, why can't Govts have control over Churches and mosques, but only Hindu Temples?
Telugu Super star, Pavan Kalyan! pic.twitter.com/D9uu2EkmqX
— Ethirajan Srinivasan 🇮🇳🚩(Modi Ka Parivaar) (@Ethirajans) March 15, 2022
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