Despite political controversy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday entered the Tirumala shrine (Lord Venkateswara Swamy) without signing the faith declaration form.
Various opposition parties, mainly the BJP, TDP and Jana Sena asserted that a Chief Minister who got elected as per the provisions of the Constitution of India should not violate the laws of the land and should sign the ‘declaration’ form as per the rules of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
The Chief Minister entered Lord Venkateswara Temple and offered ‘Silk Clothes’ on the behalf of the state government. He went to the temple in traditional silk ‘dhoti’ with the Tirunamam (Tilak) applied to his forehead.
As per the TTD general rule no 13, only Hindus are allowed for darshan, Non-Hindus who wish to have darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy have to disclose their faith and give a declaration form to the TTD.
BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders were kept under house arrest but they protested in many parts of Andhra Pradesh.
On the other hand, tension prevailed at Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Hyderabad Lotus pond residence as Bajrang Dal activists staged a protest nearby his home.
They raised slogans demanding that the Andhra Pradesh government should protect temples in the state. The activists further asked minister Kodali Nani to apologise and resign.
Kodali Nani has made various controversial remarks. On asking that CM should come along with his wife to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara, he said, “The Prime Minister goes alone to Ayodhya temple to lay the foundation stone and so does UP chief minister. Why should Jagan bring his wife to the temple?”
BJP leader and Seepetham chief priest Swamy Paripoornananda countered Nani strongly by saying people like Nani are fanning the flames by making provocative statements. He said, “Jagan would lose nothing by declaring his faith in Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala.”