Only Hindus Should Be Employed at Tirumala Temple, Says Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

Only Hindus Should Be Employed at Tirumala Temple: In the statement made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday, he opined that only the Hindu community should be employed at Tirumala Temple.

If individuals from other communities work at the temple, they will be relocated without hurting their sentiments, said Naidu.

"Only Hindus should be employed at the Tirumala Temple. If individuals from other religions are currently working there, they will be relocated to other places without hurting their sentiments," the CM was quoted as saying by ANI.

The CM of Andhra also announced his intention to have the Venkateswara Swamy temples set up in all capitals of States in India.

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Last month, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which administers the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala, had taken action against 18 employees of various institutions run by the board for allegedly practising Christianity, not Hindu dharma and ceremonies as claimed by the TTD, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The board banned the attendance of these 18 Christian employees, who worked as lecturers, hostel workers, office attendants, engineers, assistants, nurses, and paramedics in the various institutions run by TTD, in other religious and spiritual functions organized by the board.

At the TTD trust board meeting, which took place on November 18, 2024, it was resolved that the non-Hindus working in various capacities at temple administration would be surrendered to the government. A 2018 report mentioned that about 44 employees of other religious faiths are in TTD.

Naidu was seen remarking about the ongoing dispute concerning the proposed "Mumtaz Hotel" at the foot of one among the seven holy hills.

"Permission had previously been granted for the Mumtaz Hotel adjacent to the area. However, the government has now decided to cancel the approval for the hotel, which was planned on 35.32 acres of land. There should be no commercialization near the Seven Hills of Tirumala," the CM said.

He adds that earlier the permission for Mumtaz Hotel adjacent to the area was granted; currently, they have canceled the permission for the said hotel planned on 35.32 acres of land, said Naidu, as per ANI.

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The Andhra CM asserted said no commercialisation should take be permitted around the Seven Hills.

Prior to this, TTD had demanded that the land allotted to Mumtaz Hotel in the Alipiri area be revoked since it was adjacent to the Tirumala temple.

The temple trust board agreed to this resolution in their meeting in November 2024.

TTD chairperson BR Naidu stated that the so-called plan of Mumtaz Hotel being adjacent to the temple is "objectionable".

"Govt land was given to Tourism to develop the Devalokam project. The last government changed it and gave it to Mumtaz Hotel...It is adjacent to the Temple. So, it is highly objectionable for Hindus," BR Naidu was quoted as saying by ANI.

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