VIJAYAWADA: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) senior leader and former minister V Srinivas Goud made shocking comments on the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, accusing the TTD of discriminating against devotees from Telangana State.
Speaking to mediapersons after having darshan of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala on Thursday, he said, “The discrimination is more visible in the case of people’s representatives from Telangana. It was not the case earlier, during either the TDP or YSRCP regime. However, the difference in treatment is quite evident now. All are equal before the God, and such discrimination is not acceptable.”
The BRS leader urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to take note of it, and set right the things. The TTD should continue the facilities and privileges provided to people’s representatives from Telangana like in the past, he said.
Taking serious exception to the comments of Srinivas Goud, Madakasira TDP MLA MS Raju dismissed them as meaning less. “Every day, 80,000 to 90,000 people come to Tirumala, and there is no discrimination based on caste, creed or region. Srinivas Goud’s comments reflect his frustration, and he is making such comments for his and his party’s survival and publicity,” the MLA said.
Asserting that there was never discrimination of any kind in Tirumala, which gets lakhs of devotees from across the world, the TDP legislator said only those who go by regionalism make such comments. “Before the God, all are equal, and making such comments at the abode of Lord is improper,” Raju observed.
The TDP MLA also found fault with the BRS leader for violating the rule that no politics should be spoken in Tirumala.