Pilgrim city heaves a sigh of relief after Jagan’s visit is off

Highlights

   •  Anticipating political unrest, Police Act 30 was invoked earlier
   •  NDA cadres planned for a peaceful protest demanding a declaration from him that he has faith in Hindu religion

Tirupati: After experiencing a tense political atmosphere for the last two days and particularly since Friday morning, Tirupati heaved a sigh of relief by afternoon as YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has cancelled his proposed Tirupati – Tirumala visit. He intended to reach Tirupati at 4.50 am and go to Tirumala to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara on Saturday.

The controversy ignited after CM N Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of using substandard ingredients, including ghee allegedly containing animal fat, in the preparation of the revered Tirumala Srivari Laddu, a traditional offering at the temple. In response, the YSRCP had planned multiple rituals across State temples to atone for what they claimed was a grave offense committed by Naidu. In this backdrop, Jagan’s pilgrimage to Tirumala assumed significance and ignited controversy. Initially, leaders from Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party raised objections to Jagan’s visit, citing his religion and demanded a declaration expressing faith in Hinduism. This is a normal practice in TTD that any non-Hindu should submit the declaration before going for darshan. The leaders of NDA have even expressed their intent to block Jagan from entering the temple unless he gives the declaration.

However, they met in Tirupati on Friday morning and decided to make a peaceful protest against the YSRCP chief’s visit. It was learnt that any disturbance in this regard may be used by YSRCP politically, which they wanted to avoid. The leaders, however, asked the TTD to take the declaration from Jagan.

Significantly, TTD officials reinforced these customs by posting notices at key locations in Tirumala reminding non-Hindu visitors of the mandatory declaration. In a public statement, CM Naidu urged all devotees to respect Tirumala's ancient traditions and follow TTD

guidelines strictly.

It was felt that Alipiri, which is the focal point to start the journey to Tirumala, may become troublesome with these developments. Tirupati police, anticipating the potential unrest, invoked Section 30 of the Police Act, aiming to maintain order in the temple city. A large number of police force was mobilised at various locations in the city and in Tirumala to avoid any unfortunate events.

However, much to the relief of everyone, just hours before his expected arrival, Jagan Mohan Reddy cancelled his visit. The NDA’s protest plans were called off and the Tirumala police and TTD officials were relieved by the peaceful resolution.

Meanwhile, the YSRCP accused the police of acting under political pressure from CM Naidu and his son, Minister Nara Lokesh. They claimed that several YSRCP leaders had been warned against participating in Jagan’s visit, with some placed under house arrest. The party also alleged that about 10000 YSRCP supporters were prepared to welcome Reddy in Tirupati, which could have further strained the already delicate law-and-order

situation.