Former TTD chief slams hike in room rents

Amaravati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board's former Chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav on Thursday lashed out at YSRCP government for revising room rents for pilgrims.

Yadav, who is also a leader of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), alleged that even world renowned pilgrim centres like Tirumala are no exception for Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, to loot.

He told media persons that Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with his gang, is looting the pilgrims of the most renowned temple in the world.

The TDP incharge of Mydukur said that the rents of the rooms were revised from Rs 150 to Rs 1,700 and from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000. He alleged that the rent was revised without improving condition of the rooms. "What is astonishing is that the advance being collected from the pilgrims as security deposit is not being refunded," he stated.

He said that ever since Jagan Reddy came to power, the darshan of Lord Venkateswara to the pilgrims has become so difficult that they have to wait for days, if not a week, for it. "Earlier the pilgrims were confident that they would have darshan of the Lord maximum in hours, if not in a day. But now they are not sure when will they have the darshan and will return home. This is the prevailing situation on the Seven Hills," he observed.

This apart, there is no proper maintenance of the accounts for the hundi collection and other assets of the Lord and no proper accounts are being submitted to the authorities on the donations being given by the pilgrims, he claimed. Those who have made a lot of fuss about the pink diamond earlier are keeping silent now and no one has any knowledge about the collections of Srivani tickets, he added.

Even the annual functions like the Vaikunta Ekadasi are being turned into a day of collections, the former TTD Trust Board Chairman remarked and stated that the pilgrims are being subjected to looting under the guise of the TTD.

Yadav said that he felt that the basic reason for the whole thing is that a person who does not have any knowledge about the Hindu dharma and the Vedas is heading the TTD Trust Board.

"I really feel ashamed to say that the world's most famous temple is being ransacked and I demand that the TTD officials ensure that there are no hurdles for the pilgrims for the darshan of the Lord," he said.

No proper maintenance of the accounts for the hundi collection and other assets of the Lord and no proper accounts are being submitted to the authorities on the donations being given by the pilgrims. Those who have made a lot of fuss about the pink diamond earlier are keeping silent now and no one has any knowledge about the collections of Srivani tickets

- Putta Sudhakar Yadav, former Chairman, TTD Trust Board