Attacking YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over his decision to visit Tirumala on 28 September, the TDP and BJP have demanded that he must sign the mandatory declaration for people belonging to other faiths before they visit the temple, otherwise he would not be allowed inside.
They accused Reddy of skipping the protocol during his tenure as chief minister. The former chief minister has given a call to hold pujas on Saturday in temples across the state to atone the alleged sins of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for insinuating adulterated ghee was used to prepare the laddus.
Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh in an oblique reference to Reddy, who is a practicing Christian, questioned his visit to Tirumala. He said, ”Why are you going to Hindu temples when you don’t believe? Why do people who have defiled prasadam say they are going to Tirumala… is this okay?” He also urged Chief Minister Naidu to constitute a task force committee to identify those from other communities working in Hindu temples to remove them immediately.
AP BJP chief Daggubati Purandeswari also iterated that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy must declare his faith before visiting the Venkateswara Swamy temple according to the norms of visiting the temple. Reddy had previously not declared his faith in Lord Balaji before visiting Tirumala during his tenure as chief minister, his detractors alleged.
“BJP strongly demands that even before Jagan Mohan Reddy begins mounting Tirumala he should give the declaration of his faith at the Garuda statue itself at Alipiri,” said Daggubati Purandeswari. TDP also slammed Reddy saying he was “shamelessly” doing politics over Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).
“We would like to ask Jagan Mohan Reddy, would you be signing the declaration at least this time which you did not do anytime during your tenure. You never had belief in Lord Balaji, you never respected the customs and traditions of TTD,” said Jyothsna Tirunagari, TDP spokesperson.
According to existing regulations, non Hindu visitors inform the administration about their religion and declare faith in Lord Venkateswara and seek special permission to enter the temple. However, Reddy took part in various rituals in the temple but desisted from signing the declaration when he was the chief minister.
Other organisations joined in such as Sanatana Dharma Parirakshana JAC, which demanded that Reddy sign the declaration and tonsure his hair before mounting the steps on foot.