Ahead of Tirupati bypolls, BJP proposes ‘Dharmacharya Mandali’ to manage temples

Ahead of the byelection for the Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has proposed that a ‘Dharmacharya Mandali’ be constituted to manage Hindu temples in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

BJP State president Somu Veerraju, along with JSP political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar, BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, candidate K. Ratna Prabha, and general secretary Vishnuvardhan Reddy, released the party’s manifesto in Tirupati on Sunday.

The BJP’s manifesto proposes a ‘Dharmacharya Mandali’, with specific reference to Tirumala, which can later be replicated across the state.

The BJP announced that it would release the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) from the “clutches of the government” and form an authorised body of seers to guide and monitor its affairs. This, the manifesto said, would be replicated and applied to all the Hindu temples in the State.

Manifesto also proposes to curtail religious proselytisation

With a promise to make Tirupati the ‘spiritual capital of the world’, the BJP also proposed to curtail the propagation of other religions and take steps to ensure the flourishing of traditional practices, culture, art, music and dance forms.

Efforts were also made at preserving the traditional practices such as Kalamkari and handicrafts that were endemic to the constituency and priority would be accorded to upskilling the artisans, BJP’s Narasimha Rao observed.

The party also recalled the Centre’s efforts to develop Tirupati as a modern city by infusing funds from Smart City Corporation, establishment of national institutes like the IIT, IISER, Indian Culinary Institute and development of national highways, railway stations and sea ports on global standards.

Similarly, critical care hospitals would be established in Chittoor and Nellore districts, the party promised.

For the farmers, the BJP in its manifesto promised modernisation of market yards, establishment of cold storage facilities, micro irrigation facility and low-cost debts to cattle and sheep rearers.

Targeting the coastal areas, the party promised Kisan credit cards to fishermen families, development of Pulicat lake and fishing harbours.