Jagan postpones Tirumala visit, Naidu says no one stopped him

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday said he had indefinitely postponed his planned trip to the Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple, coming in the midst of the laddu controversy, while Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said no one stopped the opposition leader from visiting the shrine.

Jagan's decision came amid growing demand by the NDA allies in Andhra Pradesh to declare his faith before entering the temple.

Reacting to Reddy's decision, Naidu, while maintaining that no person is above traditions and customs, also said no one prevented the former CM from going to the temple. All he was asked was to follow temple rules.

The former CM's much-hyped Tirumala tour was announced as part of the YSRCP's call for prayers in temples to atone for TDP supremo 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 after Jagan's announcement, Naidu in a press conference appealed that every visitor to Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple must follow the rules and refrain from hurting devotees' sentiments.

According to rules, non-Hindu pilgrims should declare their reverence for Lord Venkateswara to have a darshan of the presiding deity at the hill shrine. They, requesting the temple authority to give permission for admission, should declare their religion on a printed form available at the temple.

Dubbing Chandrababu Naidu's rule as "Rakshasa Rajyam" (kingdom of demons), Jagan also attacked the BJP for turning a blind eye to the laddu issue.

Naidu had last week alleged the use of substandard ghee and presence of animal fat in the famous Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP regime.