BJP opposes move to keep open ‘Vaikuntha Dwaram’ for 10 days

TTD is tampering with time-tested practice, alleges Madhav

The BJP has accused the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) of systematically tampering with time-tested religious practices, violating age-old customs that are considered sacrosanct, and diluting established norms.

“How can the TTD trust board, with the tacit support of the State government, unilaterally take strange decisions?” questioned P.V.N. Madhav, party MLC from Visakhapatnam.

Mr. Madhav made specific reference to the TTD board’s move to keep the ‘Vaikuntha Dwaram’ in Tirumala open for 10 days.

“The TTD board has been taking controversial decisions without any regard to the rules or established practices. Such a tendency to undermine the practices will not only weaken the system but also hurt the sentiments of devotees,” Mr. Madhav said.

Garuda Varadhi

On Garuda Varadhi, the 6-km-long elevated corridor project that had been stalled after the BJP moved the court opposing diversion of the TTD funds for laying the road, Mr. Madhav said that the party firmly believed that the project could be undertaken from a number of Central / State funding sources, and certainly not from the Lord’s coffers.

“Devotees make offerings at the famous Pedda Dargah in Kadapa and Bara Shaheed Dargah in Nellore. Is at least a part of such offerings used to lay roads to those shrines?” Mr. Madhav questioned.

The BJP would have no objection if the project was taken up with the Smart City funds.