Chandrababu asks TTD to protect sanctity of temple

Tirupati, Oct 5 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday directed Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to protect the sanctity of the temple.

At a review meeting with officials at Padmavathi Guest House in Tirumala, he asked officials to make sure that the quality of prasadam is maintained and improved further.

His direction came in the wake of the ongoing row over the alleged adulteration of laddu prasadam during the previous regime, which has been denied by the YSRCP.

He asked officials to also make sure that except for Govinda Nama Samaranam no other song should be heard on the hill so that the serenity at the famous hill shrine is not disturbed.

He asked them not to compromise on these aspects.

He told the TTD officials to reduce the VIP culture at the temple and added that there should be no scramble during the visits of eminent personalities.

Urging them to avoid making unnecessary noise during the visits by the VIPs, he said the spirituality of the place should be maintained.

Naidu said he wanted the temple authorities to treat the devotees with respect. He said devotees coming from various parts of India and abroad should get the due respect.

He underlined the need for advanced planning to meet drinking water requirements in future and called for enhancing forest cover from 72 per cent to 80 per cent.

He wanted officials to work for conservation and expansion of forests and enquired about the steps being taken to protect biodiversity.

He also gathered details about the system to collect feedback from devotees about the services rendered by the TTD and asked officials to give an opportunity to every devotee to give suggestions.

TTD Executive Officer J. Symala Rao and other officials were present. On the second day of his visit to Tirumala, the Chief Minister inaugurated Vakula Mata Central Kitchen, which will cater to around 1.1 lakh devotees.

On the first day of his visit on Friday, Naidu offered ‘Pattu Vastralu’ (silk robes) to mark the beginning of annual Brahmotsavam festival. Accompanied by his wife N. Bhuvaneswari, the Chief Minister made the offering on behalf of the state government to the deity at the famous hill shrine.This year the Brahmotsavam is being held amid the row over adulteration of ghee used to make laddu prasadam.

On September 18, Chief Minister Naidu had claimed that ghee adulterated with animal fat was used to make laddu prasadam when the YSRCP was in power.

The YSRCP, however, dismissed the allegation and accused Naidu of tarnishing the sanctity of the temple.

While hearing the matter on September 30, the Supreme Court commented that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu should have ‘kept the gods away from politics’ before rushing in to make public statements based on unsure facts that lard was used to prepare the laddus in the previous regime.The apex court observed that there is currently nothing to show that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP regime.The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a CBI-monitored probe. It reconstituted SIT which will have a couple of CBI officers along with two police officers from Andhra Pradesh and one official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The controversy had triggered an outrage among devotees across the country.Following the allegations, the TTD had conducted purification rituals at the temple premises. The rituals were conducted at the tanks used to store ghee, and the area where other ingredients that go into preparing the laddus and other offerings are stored, as well as the kitchen, and the trays used to carry the offerings.