Andhra CM 'conspiring' to surrender TTD land to Oberoi Hotels: YSRCP's Karunkar Reddy

Tirupati: YSRCP leader B Karunakar Reddy on Sunday accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of "conspiring" to hand over valuable TTD property to Oberoi Hotels.

However, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) condemned the allegations made by Reddy, calling them "incorrect and misleading" regarding land allotments.

According to Reddy, 20 acres of prime land owned by TTD in Tirupati, valued at Rs 1,500 crore, was exchanged for low-value rural land, resulting in an alleged loss of Rs 1,000 crore.

"Naidu is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to surrender valuable TTD property to Oberoi Hotels under the guise of a land exchange," the former TTD Chairman told reporters.

He further claimed that a special TTD meeting was held on May 7 to approve the deal, followed by a government order on August 7.

Criticising Naidu for now "gifting" a prime spot in the temple city for Oberoi hotels, after previously rejecting their proposal, Reddy called it "daylight robbery".

The YSRCP leader claimed that the TDP-led government deliberately omitted land valuations from the agenda and referred to the temple land as "inam land" (gifted land) to make the exchange seem illegitimate.

He sought to know why the government chose temple lands for the project when public land was available in Renigunta and other areas near Tirupati, terming it a "premeditated act of plunder".

The YSRCP leader described it as a "direct assault" on the Hindu religion and accused the Naidu-led NDA coalition government of auctioning temple properties in the name of tourism, undermining Sanatana dharma.

Holding Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and TTD Chairman BR Naidu responsible, Reddy demanded the reversal of the government order and urged devotees worldwide to oppose the move.

This is not just about land; it is about faith, trust, and the dignity of the Lord Venkateswara Swami devotees across the globe, he added.

According to the temple body, in November 2021, the then (YSRCP) government allotted 20 acres at Alipiri foothills to Oberoi Hotel, sparking strong objections from Hindu groups and devotees citing temple's sanctity concerns.

"At the TTD Board meeting held on November 18, 2024, it was reported to the erstwhile YSRCP government that the sacred land should not be allotted to the Oberoi Hotel but should be allotted to the TTD," said TTD in a press release.

Naidu during his Tirumala visit on March 21, barred non-religious activities in the region located in the entire premises of the sacred seven hills, it said.

During the religious body's meeting held on July 22, the TTD approved to transfer the TTD land located on the south side of the road to the Tourism Department in exchange of the land allotted to TTD by Tourism on the north side, said the release.

"With the aim of preserving the sanctity of Tirumala, TTD has decided to utilise this sacred land located on the north side of the road for the provision of facilities for devotees, keeping in mind the future needs," it said.