Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) [India]: The Bharatiya Janta Party has demanded that former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy declare his faith before entering the temple on September 28. The call comes in view of the former CM’s planned visit to the temple.
“As per Andhra Pradesh Revenue Endowments, Rule 16, and TTD General Regulations Rule 136, non-Hindus must submit a declaration at Vaikuntam queue complex before darshan,” Daggubati Purandeswari, State president Andhra Pradesh BJP said.
The BJP leader insisted Jagan Reddy should provide the declaration at Alipiri’s Garuda statue itself, before beginning his Tirumala darshan.
“We are given to understand that Jagan Mohan Reddy intends to visit Tirumala on the 28th of this month. The practice of declaring one’s faith has been in vogue for decades in Tirumala. As per G.O. MS NO- 311 of AP Revenue Endowments–1, Rule no 16, Non Hindus must give a declaration at Vaikuntam que complex before darshan in the faith form. This is also as per TTD general regulations Rule 136. BJP demands that even before Jagan Reddy begins mounting Tirumala he should give the declaration of his faith at the Garuda statue itself at Alipiri,” she said.
TDP spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram said that the onus was on Jagan Reddy to declare his faith prior to planning a temple visit else he would not be allowed inside the temple complex.
“Jagan Mohan Reddy has committed an unforgivable sin so there will be no relief for him. Lord Balaji will not forgive him even if he climbs up the seven hills on his knees…We have released several documents which clearly state that they have done this deliberately, so there is going to be no forgiveness for him. And the second thing is you will not be allowed to go into the temple if you don’t sign the declaration. All these years you have gone into the temple without signing the declaration. We all know that you are a believer in Christianity which we don’t have any problem with. We respect all religions but it is a role, it is a custom in that whoever intends to have a darshan of Lord Balaji, a person belonging to another religion whether it be Christianity or Islam if they intend to have a darshan of Lord Balaji then they have to sign a declaration stating that they have faith in him. So all these years as chief minister Jagan Reddy never signed. So Jagan Mohan Reddy you will have to sign the declaration otherwise you will not be allowed to go inside the temple complex,” Komareddy Pattabhi Ram said.
On Thursday, the YSRCP had urged devotees across the state to participate in temple poojas on Saturday, September 28th, aimed at restoring the sanctity of Tirumala, which the party claims was tarnished by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
YSRCP Chief and Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took to the social media platform X, urging people to stand against what he called were the false claims made by Chandrababu Naidu.
Jagan claims that Naidu had allegedly spread misinformation, claiming that Tirumala’s sacred laddu prasadam was adulterated with animal fat, which misled devotees and tarnished the revered image of Lord Venkateswara.
The YSRCP also claimed that this act, driven by political motives, deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees. In light of this, the party was calling for participation in temple poojas on September 28 to purify Tirumala’s sacredness and restore the honour of Lord Venkateswara’s Prasadam.