The government of Andhra Pradesh on Monday stepped in to put on hold the proposed sale of unviable assets belonging to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). The state government stepped in to control the damage following the rising resentment in several quarters over the recent move by the Board of Trustees of the TTD.

In an order issued by Praveen Prakash, Principal Secretary (Political), on Monday, the state government, keeping in view devotees’ sentiments, directed the TTD to re-examine the issue in consultation with the different stakeholders such as religious elders, opinion makers, section of devotees etc., to ascertain whether these properties can be used by TTD for construction of temples, dharma pracharam and other religious activities.

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The state government headed by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been at the receiving end of opposition parties over the move to dispose of 50 TTD properties located in Tamil Nadu and other places outside Andhra Pradesh. The state government has pointed out that the controversial decision was in fact taken during the previous regime headed by the Telugu Desam Party.

“It has been brought to the notice of the government that the Board of Trustees of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which was constituted by the previous government, approved the disposal of 50 properties of TTD through its resolution No. 253 dated 30.01.2016,” the order pointed out.

The richest religious body in the country, the TTD has been in the news of late with reports of a cash crunch following the Covid-19 induced lockdown and the resultant freeze on contributions from the devotees. The TTD is headed by Y.V. Subba Reddy, who is also Jagan Mohan Reddy’s maternal uncle.