Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams warns stern action against employees maligning its image

Authorities of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, who are finding themselves in one controversy after another, are dealing sternly with employees who supposedly have put them on the spot.

At the same time, the TTD officials are taking the instances of fake news, insolent content about the temple on social media to the police, who have registered cases against several people.

While placing some employees under suspension, the TTD has launched a vigilance enquiry on the suspected employees who have let “confidential” information into the public space.

Last month, the TTD, which manages the famed Lord Venkateswara temple, had faced nationwide censure when a notification towards auction of some of the devotee donated lands was revealed. The said document was widely reported by news outlets and circulated on social media. In the wake of huge outcry, the TTD board of trustees had to, eventually, drop all such plans.

And to clear the air, the TTD trustee board which met on May 28 decided to publish a white paper on the temple’s properties spread across the country.

This week, another commotion was caused over a contentious version of Uttara Ramayana written by a school kid, appearing in the TTD published Sapthagiri magazine.

The story claimed that Lava was the only original progeny of Sita-Rama and that Kusa was a figurine made from grass and brought to life by the magical powers of Saint Valmiki, as DH had reported on Wednesday.

The BJP had staged a protest attacking the TTD for “allowing such distortions in the Hindu revered scripts.” Netizens too advised TTD “not to encourage such falsifications.”

On Saturday, it is revealed that the chief editor and an editorial assistant of Sapthagiri were put under suspension. Though the same article was rejected in 2016-17, it appeared in the April 2020 edition, troubling the TTD. “Even before the magazine was released in the market, it was somehow procured by some people thus giving scope to raise a controversy,” officials said.

Referring to the storm over the public auction of TTD properties and the Sapthagiri article, TTD Joint Executive Officer Basant Kumar said that a vigilance enquiry is initiated on employees who resorted to “activities damaging the devotees' sentiments and reputation of the institution.”

Two employees of the estate department dealing with properties are under the vigilance probe. “If the document leak is the deed of one or both of them is being ascertained. A report would be sent to the higher-ups for necessary action,” Kumar, an IAS officer, told DH.

Kumar stated “a malafide campaign” as on to smear the TTD reputation.

“To put an end to such motivated campaigns, the TTD Board had decided to publish a white paper on the affairs of all TTD properties. But even before the report is readied, the details were telecast by an electronic media channel on May 30 and 31,” the JEO said.

Police cases

Tirumala II Town police registered a case against a person who posted on Facebook that Sudha Narayanamurthy has submitted resignation to her membership of TTD trust board.

Following an email complaint from a devotee Tamil Maiyyan that Tamil Actor Shiv Kumar had posted a video on Facebook urging devotees to not visit Tirumala alleging anti-social activities at the holy pilgrim place, Tirumala police registered a case.

Police have also registered a case against three men - Macherla Srinivasulu, Prashant and Mungara Shivraj for spreading fake news during Covid-19 lockdown period that Srivari darshan would remain suspended till June 30.

Following a complaint by TTD, Tirumala police registered a case on operators of the Facebook account where on 7 May a malicious report was uploaded that Srivari temple at Tirumala was originally a Buddhist shrine with a huge Buddha statue allegedly destroyed and converted into Sri Venkateswara idol. The post also alleged that tonsuring was a Buddhist tradition and not of Hindus, TTD officials said.