The political war of words between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the opposition YSRCP over the administration of the Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh continues to intensify.
The sacred hill shrine is currently under two separate investigations, one into alleged ghee adulteration in laddu preparation and another into the Parakamani donation-box theft case.
Amid these probes, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu came down heavily on Opposition Leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday, accusing him of defending those involved in the Parakamani theft at the Tirumala temple.
Last year, a major political storm erupted after allegations that the world-famous Tirupati laddus were being made with "impure" ghee, reportedly containing animal fats. The Parakamani, the sacred hall where pilgrims' offerings, including domestic and foreign currency, are counted, became the centre of controversy in early 2023 when a staff member was caught on camera, allegedly stealing cash.
Naidu said he was shocked that the YSRCP described the theft of Lord Venkateswara's money as a "small crime."
"When it comes to temple sanctity, there is no compromise," he said. "If an official steals, we suspend them. But here, the previous government protected people who looted money kept at the feet of the deity. What kind of politics is this?"
The Chief Minister further said that only a party with "no fear of God and no respect for Dharma" could justify such an act. He also referred to earlier controversies during the YSRCP's tenure, including complaints about substandard prasadam and adulterated ghee at the temple.
"Those who steal God's money and those who defend them are now in the opposition. I am ashamed that such people ever held power in this state," he added.
Hitting back, the YSRCP accused the TDP chief of twisting facts for political gain. The party said the Parakamani theft was exposed through robotic technology during its tenure and pointed to a recent video released by Ravi Kumar, who later donated most of his assets to TTD, alleging attempts to blackmail him.
YSRCP has accused Naidu of misusing temple properties, including the Sadavarthi lands, and demanded an apology for "false claims" about adulteration in Tirumala laddus.
