VIJAYAWADA: Coming down heavily on the TDP government for its “failure” to protect temples, their lands and properties, YSRC Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy on Wednesday asked as to why Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was not conducting review meeting on the alleged lapses in the transportation of 1,381 kg of gold belonging to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
“Despite being the caretaker CM, Naidu conducts review meeting on every issue. Why he failed to review this important issue?’’ he questioned.
Speaking to the media in Hyderabad, Vijayasai asked as to why the vehicle carrying the huge quantity of gold from Chennai to Tirupati had to take a detour into a village rather than travelling on the national highway. “No police protection was provided to the vehicle and there was no proper explanation for the same,’’ he said, suspecting that there was some foul play in the whole episode.
“The temple’s main priest Ramana Deekshitulu and three other priests were transferred. An IAS officer from north India was made the executive officer of the TTD and Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s close relative was made the TTD Trust Board chairman. All this points to a pre-planned programme,’’ he alleged.
He demanded that the report submitted by IAS officer Manmohan Singh, who inquired into the lapses into the transportation of the TTD gold, be made public. The MP alleged that the TDP government had demolished nearly 40 temples in Vijayawada in the name of making arrangements for river Krishna pushkarams on the promise of re-building them, but it did not keep the promise.
Theft of crowns
Referring to the recent theft of golden crowns from the Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple in Tirupati, Vijayasai said the police arrested and produced two petty thieves before the media stating that they have stolen the crowns and the crowns were melted into a gold bar. “The investigation officers know where the ornaments are, but they are silent,’’ he alleged, indirectly referring that some ruling party people are behind the missing of golden crowns.
‘Baseless charges’
Endowment Minister KE Krishnamurthy condemned the comments of YSRC leader V Vijayasai Reddy on transportation of gold to TTD from Punjab National Bank. In a press release, he said the YSRC leader’s statements hurt the sentiments of the devotees. He said TTD depositing its gold in banks is not new thing. After the maturity date, the gold was to be handed over to the TTD and the responsibility of transporting is that of the bank, not TTD.