Asked to declare faith, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cancels Tirupati visit; Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu denies claim
Opposition YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday said he has indefinitely postponed his planned trip to the Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple, amid the growing demand by NDA allies in Andhra Pradesh to declare his faith before entering the shrine.
His much hyped Tirumala tour was announced as part of the YSRCP’s call for prayers in temples to atone for TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘sin’ through his allegations on the quality of Tirupati laddus.
Addressing a press conference Jagan said he could not go to Tirupati as his party leaders and workers were issued notices by police warning them not to participate in his temple visit.
Hours before Jagan’s tour, Naidu appealed that every visitor to deity Sri Venkateswara Swamy must follow the rules and refrain from hurting devotees’ sentiments. According to rules, foreigners and non-Hindus should declare their reverence for Lord Venkateswara to have a darshan of the presiding deity at the hill shrine.
Dubbing Chandrababu Naidu’s rule as “Rakshasa Rajyam” (kingdom of demons), Jagan also attacked BJP for turning a blind eye on the laddoo issue. He reiterated that the ghee which was rejected by the TTD on the account of quality issues was never used in making the Laddoo Prasadam (consecrated food, sweet in this case).
“On one side, all our people are being issued notices threatening that they (police) will file cases. On the other side they are bringing BJP people from the neighbouring state to create a law and order problem and a religious issue to cover up Chandrababu’s misdeed,” he said.
“As a person who respects and loves Venkateswara Swamy, I do not want to go there and divert the topic. So I am postponing my tour,” he said without announcing any fresh date of visit.
Earlier, sources close to the leader had said he has cancelled his scheduled Tirumala temple plan. Reddy said everyone in the country knows his religion and he has visited Tirumala temple several times even before becoming the CM.
He said though he reads the Bible within four walls, he respects Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. TV channels were showing that thousands of police personnel were deployed in Tirupati to prevent his leaders from going to the temple.
Respect norms of religious places, says CM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was claiming as if he was prevented by authorities from visiting the Tirumala temple and asked if he was served any notice to not go to the shrine.
Reacting to Jagan’s decision to postpone his trip to the Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara temple, Naidu said every religious place has its traditions and customs and whoever wishes to visit a place of worship should respect the norms followed there.
The CM said Jagan’s stand of him having earlier visited the Tirumala shrine earlier by not ‘signing the declaration’ form affirming his faith in the presiding deity does not entitle him to repeat it.
“I am asking you straight. Have you been given any notices? Did anybody ask you not to go there?” the CM asked. “Traditions and customs should be respected. No person is greater than the traditions and customs,” he said. — PTI
