NTR (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 19 : BJP MP and Andhra Pradesh BJP President Daggubati Purandeswari on Tuesday welcomed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board resolution to remove non-Hindu staff from the temple, terming it "a very good decision."
She added that those who lack respect for Hindu Dharma cannot truly fulfil their responsibilities if assigned roles in temples.
Speaking to ANI, Purandeswari said, "I wholeheartedly welcome the resolution taken by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board under the chairmanship of BR Naidu. I think this is a very good decision that the board has taken. Bharatiya Janata Party, Andhra Pradesh unit has always been dedicated and committed to this concept of not having non-Hindus on boards or in nominated posts in the temple because people who do not even understand what Hindu Dharma is, and people who do not have respect for Hindu Dharma cannot really fulfil the responsibilities if they are given responsibilities in temples."
"In fact, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andhra unit had already taken a movement prior to this about 4-5 months earlier wherein we had conducted a signature campaign in front of all temples that non-Hindus should not be given responsibilities in Hindu temples," she added.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) chairman BR Naidu on Tuesday said that they have identified non-Hindu employees in the TTD and will request them either to take voluntary retirement or shift them to other government departments like revenue, municipality or corporations.
His remarks came a day after the TTD Board passed a resolution requiring non-Hindus employed by the board to either take voluntary retirement or opt for a transfer to other government departments in Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to ANI, TTD chairman BR Naidu said, "I moved the resolution in the Board yesterday. The Board has unanimously accepted. We have identified some people (staff at TTD), non-Hindus...I wanted to meet those people personally and I would request them to take VRS. If they are not interested, we will transfer or maybe grant deputation to other government departments, like Revenue or Municipality or any Corporation. So, that is our intention."
In October, BR Naidu was appointed the new Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Chairman. He said that he intended to work without the intention of gaining anything.
His appointment comes a month after the controversy over Tirupati Prasadam began. This issue arose when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus, the Prasadam offered at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, during the previous YSRCP government.