Tirumala Temple vs Tourism Spat Over 'Sacred Land' In Andhra Pradesh

A fresh political storm has erupted in Andhra Pradesh after the opposition YSR Congress Party opposed a land swap deal between the state government's Tourism Department and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, calling it a "serious violation of sanctity" and insisting that land owned by the temple should not be used for commercial or non-religious purposes.

Specifically, the party has questioned the controversial allotment of 20 acres to a chain of luxury hotels and asked if temple land should be used by hotels 'serving meat and kebabs'.

The YSRCP has demanded the cancellation of all concerned land transfers and, aware of a possible counterattack by the ruling Telugu Desam Party, has included allotments made by previous governments in its demand. The YSRCP also wants the 'restoration of sacred lands'.

The TDP has accused the YSRCP of spreading misinformation, and reminded its rival that in November 2021, its government had allotted 25 acres to the same hotel chain. That land included forest lands, and the transfer was protested by religious leaders and the TDP.

The ruling party said it had now cancelled that controversial allotment and, instead exchanged land on the southern side, where several private institutions already exist.

This retains the sacred northern zone under the temple's control, the TDP said.

The TTD has clarified land near Alipiri was indeed allotted to the hotel chain and that, in November 2024, the temple trust resolved sacred land adjacent to the Tirumala hill should remain under its control. Following board resolutions in May and July, a land swap was approved - TTD taking land on north and transferring southern parcels to the Tourism Department.

The TTD reiterated the move was meant to preserve Tirumala's sanctity and security, and has appealed against politicising the issue. But with both YSRCP and TDP locked in a blame game, a dispute over sacred land has once again turned into a political flashpoint in Andhra Pradesh.