Jagan Mohan Reddy cancels his visit to Tirumala amid laddu row

Many leaders and spiritual organisations demanded that the YSRCP chief sign the mandatory declaration form before entering the temple

Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy cancelled his visit to Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, scheduled for Friday (September 27, 2024).

Following the decision, the tension that has built up in the temple town over his proposed visit dissipated, helping the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration and the district police to heave a sigh of relief.

Mr. Reddy planned the visit as part of his ‘Papa Prakshalana’ to seek atonement for the alleged sins committed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who he alleged had defamed the sacred town and the famed laddu with his ‘‘false narratives that animal fat was used in its preparation’‘.

The Tirupati town, the threshold to the hill town, was gripped in tension as several leaders and spiritual organisations vowed to oppose his visit and demanded that he sign the mandatory declaration form (meant for the pilgrims belonging to alien faiths) that he had faith in Lord Venkateswara.

Prohibitory orders under Sec. 30 of the Police Act were promulgated in the town.

Display boards were set up at all the key areas in the name of the TTD Executive Officer elucidating the stipulation in Telugu and English languages, which were later removed after the news of the cancellation of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit trickled in.

Similar display boards were also set up during the visit of Sonia Gandhi in 1999 when Mr. Naidu was the Chief Minister.

Published - September 27, 2024 07:09 pm IST