TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has taken disciplinary action against 18 employees, who were allegedly practising non-Hindu faiths, on Wednesday. They have also been barred from attending all religious and spiritual events conducted by the temple body.
TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao issued a memo stating that 18 non-Hindu employees were participating in non-Hindu religious activities while also taking part in Hindu festivals and functions organised by the TTD, compromising the sanctity and sentiments of millions of Hindu devotees.
Despite disciplinary action, these employees continued to engage in non-Hindu religious practices, tarnishing the prestige of TTD, the statement read.
The 18 ‘non-Hindu’ staff members include two principals, a professor, lecturers, nurses, and other staff working in the colleges, hospitals, and hostels run by the TTD. G Aseervadam is one of the 18 employees on the list. It’s worth mentioning that Aseervadam is a common Christian name in Telugu-speaking communities.
As per TTD officials, these employees had sworn an oath to follow Hindu religious practices. However, it has come to light that they have been actively engaging in non-Hindu rituals, which has raised concerns about the impact on the sanctity of the temple and the sentiments of devotees.
It’s our stand, no second thought about it: Lokesh
Consequently, the TTD has barred these employees from participating in its religious functions until further notice and directed them not to participate in any TTD-related religious programmes. Furthermore, the TTD EO instructed department heads not to assign these employees to temple or religious programme-related work. TTD Chairman BR Naidu reaffirmed that non-Hindu employees will be transferred to government departments or offered voluntary retirement.
In November 2024, the TTD Board, headed by Chairman BR Naidu, said it would write a letter to N Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government for taking an appropriate decision on non-Hindus working in Tirumala. It had recommended the transfer of non-Hindu employees to other government departments or the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) as a means to address the issue.
Asked about the issue during a press conference in New Delhi, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh supported the action against the TTD employees and stated, “That is the stand of the government. There is no second thought about it. We spoke about it before the elections, and we stand by it.”
BJP welcomes decision
In a post on X, BJP State Vice-President Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said, “Thank you, Chairman @BollineniRNaidu Garu, for protecting TTD’s integrity and upholding Hindu values with your decisive action. Your commitment to our temples and traditions is truly appreciated.”