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The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati, has barred 18 employees from participating in all religious and spiritual activities of the temple body as part of a disciplinary action for allegedly partaking in non-Hindu activities, said an official memo.
In a memo issued on February 1, the temple body noted that disciplinary action has been initiated against those employees to curtail their non-Hindu religious activities, which are demeaning the prestige of TTD.
According to PTI report, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh defended the TTD initiative saying there are no second thoughts on TTD’s decision to bar non-Hindu employees from religious activities as it is the stand of the TDP-led NDA government in the southern state.
“It has been proved that the following (those 18) TTD employees are practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities, though they have taken the oath before the photograph/idol of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy stating that they will follow the Hindu Dharma (religion) and Hindu traditions only,” said TTD executive officer J Syamala Rao in the memo.
Further, the memo observed that these employees had also sworn that they will not follow non-Hindu religious activities in compliance with Rule 9 (VI) issued in GO Ms No 1060 Revenue (Endowments – 1), dated October 24, 1989.
According to the temple body, the barred employees were participating both in non-Hindu religious activities and also Hindu religious fairs and festivals conducted by TTD, hurting the sanctity and sentiments of crores of Hindu devotees.
TTD directed its chief engineer and deputy executive officer (HR) to verify the present postings of these employees to ensure that they do not discharge duties in Tirumala, any TTD temple or any religious programme work.
Further, it directed them to immediately transfer these employees out of religiously sensitive roles if they were found to be manning them.
Likewise, the memo instructed the heads of departments not to post or depute these employees to temple duties, religious processions, programmes, fairs and festivals.
