Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government ordered that the non Hindu employees working at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) should quit so as not to insult the sentiments of the devotees. The government order comes after backlash from Hindu community after it was known that many employees work in the temple without any belief in Hinduism.
The authorities were also directed to check the background of all the employees working at TTD.
The Chief Secretary, L. V. Subrahmanyam, stressed that necessary surprise checks would be conducted at the houses of these employees to ascertain that they are following Hinduism and are not followers of non Hindu religions.
Subrahmanyam said, “There are employees have converted to other religions. It’s their choice. Nobody can stop them from doing so but they can’t continue in their jobs in the TTD. Nobody should hurt the religious sentiments of others.”
Reports say that about 48 non-Hindu employees are working in TTD. Last year a video surfaced which showed a TTD official praying at a Church.
Political experts believe that the latest move by the government comes after BJP raised strong opposition against the anti-Hindu activities of the government.
Lately a controversy erupted at Tirupati when bus tickets showed advertisements for Jerusalem and Haj pilgrimage. The advertisements were on the tickets of the government Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC).
The move by the government to advertise minority religions pilgrimage on transport bus tickets at Tirupati made BJP National Secretary Sunil Deodhar to say that it is, “unnecessary, unacceptable, communal and insult to Lord Balaji”.
BJP is also accusing Jagan Reddy’s visit to Hindu temples during elections as a stunt to garner votes. Reddy is a practicing Christian and even refused to light a lamp according to Hindu traditions, during his US visit.
