declare your religion before entering tirumala temple bjp on jagan temple visit

Amid the Tirupati laddu controversy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded that former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy should declare his religion before entering the Tirumala temple during his proposed visit on September 28. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has claimed, citing reports that animal fat was being used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu during Reddy’s regime. Andhra Pradesh BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari said that as per Andhra Pradesh Revenue Endowment Rule 16 and TTD General Regulations Rule 136, non-Hindus have to submit declaration forms at the Vaikuntham queue complex before darshan.

The BJP leader insisted that Jagan Reddy should submit the declaration at the Garuda statue at Alipiri itself before starting the Tirumala darshan. He said, “We have been told that Jagan Mohan Reddy intends to visit Tirumala on the 28th of this month. The practice of declaring one’s faith has been prevalent at Tirumala for decades. As per GO MS No.311, Rule No. 16 of AP Revenue Endowment-1, non-Hindus should make the declaration at the Vaikuntham queue complex before the darshan as their faith. This is also as per TTD General Regulation Rule 136. The BJP demands that Jagan Reddy declare his faith near the Garuda statue at Alipiri itself before climbing Tirumala.”

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP has called for pujas to be performed at all temples in the state amid the political uproar over the adulteration of ghee used to make prasadam laddus for the Tirupati Balaji temple. The YSRCP has said pujas will be performed to restore the sanctity of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. This comes after a four-hour Shanti Homam Panchagavya Prokshana (ritual purification) was held at the Tirupati temple on September 23.