<p>Hyderabad: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has suspended Assistant Executive Officer A Rajasekhar Babu following allegations of participating in Christian religious activities. </p><p>TTD manages the affairs of Tirumala, the world's richest Hindu temple.</p><p>The suspension came after TTD found that Rajasekhar Babu regularly attends local church prayers every Sunday in his hometown of Puttur in Tirupati district.</p><p>"This constitutes a violation of TTD norms as he has not followed the organization's code of conduct and has acted irresponsibly as an employee representing a Hindu religious organization," said a senior official of TTD. "After examining the report submitted by the TTD Vigilance Department and other evidence, departmental action was initiated against him according to established rules, and he was suspended with immediate effect," the senior official added.</p>.HYDRAA says Owaisi's Fatima College built on lake bed, BJP demands demolition .<p>Rule 9(vi) of the TTD Employees Service Rules, 1989, established under G.O. Ms. No. 1060, specifies that only individuals professing the Hindu religion are eligible for recruitment into TTD service. This rule was inserted through G.O.Ms No. 1372 in 2007 and mandates that employees must adhere to Hindu dharma and traditions while refraining from non-Hindu religious activities.</p><p>"Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules or any other rules now in vogue, appointment to any of the posts in any category in any of the institutions administered or substantially funded by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams shall be made only from among the persons professing Hindu Religion," states Rule 9(VI) of the TTD Employees Service Rules, 1989.</p><p>In May, the TTD board decided to transfer non-Hindu employees working at various board-run institutions to other Andhra Pradesh government departments or offer them voluntary retirement schemes. According to 2021 TTD records, the board employed approximately 40 non-Hindu staff members across its institutions.</p><p>Prior to the May decision, TTD initiated disciplinary action in February against 18 non-Hindu employees for continuing to participate in non-Hindu religious activities. The order prohibited these 18 employees all Christians working as lecturers, hostel workers, office subordinates, engineers, helpers, nurses, and other paramedical staff from attending religious and spiritual events organized by the temple.</p><p>"It has been proved that the following 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 Hindu Dharma and Hindu traditions only and will not follow non-Hindu religious activities in compliance with Rule 9(vi)," stated a memo issued by TTD Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao in February.</p><p>The memo continued: "Despite this oath, the following employees are practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities while also taking part in Hindu religious fairs, festivals, and functions conducted by TTD, which impacts the sanctity, sentiments, and beliefs of crores of Hindu devotees."</p><p>The memo noted that disciplinary actions were initiated to curtail employees' non-Hindu religious activities, particularly as instances continued to surface of staff "practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities, demeaning the prestige of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams."</p><p>The February memo barred the affected employees from participating in TTD religious functions until further notice and directed them not to participate in any TTD religious programs.</p><p>Over recent years, Tirumala Temple, one of the world's richest Hindu temples, has become a platform for political controversy, surrounded by several issues.</p><p>In an interview with DH following his announcement as TTD chairman, BR Naidu said "TTD is a Hindu religious autonomous body. In my personal opinion, TTD should not employ non-Hindus to work in the temple. It's a Hindu temple. We will first gather information about the number of non-Hindu employees at TTD. In the next stage, we will offer them the option of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS). If a non-Hindu staff member chooses not to participate in the voluntary retirement scheme, we will transfer them to the Andhra Pradesh government, where they can find employment in other government departments. I'm firm on this position."</p>
<p>Hyderabad: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has suspended Assistant Executive Officer A Rajasekhar Babu following allegations of participating in Christian religious activities. </p><p>TTD manages the affairs of Tirumala, the world's richest Hindu temple.</p><p>The suspension came after TTD found that Rajasekhar Babu regularly attends local church prayers every Sunday in his hometown of Puttur in Tirupati district.</p><p>"This constitutes a violation of TTD norms as he has not followed the organization's code of conduct and has acted irresponsibly as an employee representing a Hindu religious organization," said a senior official of TTD. "After examining the report submitted by the TTD Vigilance Department and other evidence, departmental action was initiated against him according to established rules, and he was suspended with immediate effect," the senior official added.</p>.HYDRAA says Owaisi's Fatima College built on lake bed, BJP demands demolition .<p>Rule 9(vi) of the TTD Employees Service Rules, 1989, established under G.O. Ms. No. 1060, specifies that only individuals professing the Hindu religion are eligible for recruitment into TTD service. This rule was inserted through G.O.Ms No. 1372 in 2007 and mandates that employees must adhere to Hindu dharma and traditions while refraining from non-Hindu religious activities.</p><p>"Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules or any other rules now in vogue, appointment to any of the posts in any category in any of the institutions administered or substantially funded by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams shall be made only from among the persons professing Hindu Religion," states Rule 9(VI) of the TTD Employees Service Rules, 1989.</p><p>In May, the TTD board decided to transfer non-Hindu employees working at various board-run institutions to other Andhra Pradesh government departments or offer them voluntary retirement schemes. According to 2021 TTD records, the board employed approximately 40 non-Hindu staff members across its institutions.</p><p>Prior to the May decision, TTD initiated disciplinary action in February against 18 non-Hindu employees for continuing to participate in non-Hindu religious activities. The order prohibited these 18 employees all Christians working as lecturers, hostel workers, office subordinates, engineers, helpers, nurses, and other paramedical staff from attending religious and spiritual events organized by the temple.</p><p>"It has been proved that the following 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 Hindu Dharma and Hindu traditions only and will not follow non-Hindu religious activities in compliance with Rule 9(vi)," stated a memo issued by TTD Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao in February.</p><p>The memo continued: "Despite this oath, the following employees are practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities while also taking part in Hindu religious fairs, festivals, and functions conducted by TTD, which impacts the sanctity, sentiments, and beliefs of crores of Hindu devotees."</p><p>The memo noted that disciplinary actions were initiated to curtail employees' non-Hindu religious activities, particularly as instances continued to surface of staff "practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities, demeaning the prestige of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams."</p><p>The February memo barred the affected employees from participating in TTD religious functions until further notice and directed them not to participate in any TTD religious programs.</p><p>Over recent years, Tirumala Temple, one of the world's richest Hindu temples, has become a platform for political controversy, surrounded by several issues.</p><p>In an interview with DH following his announcement as TTD chairman, BR Naidu said "TTD is a Hindu religious autonomous body. In my personal opinion, TTD should not employ non-Hindus to work in the temple. It's a Hindu temple. We will first gather information about the number of non-Hindu employees at TTD. In the next stage, we will offer them the option of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS). If a non-Hindu staff member chooses not to participate in the voluntary retirement scheme, we will transfer them to the Andhra Pradesh government, where they can find employment in other government departments. I'm firm on this position."</p>