Minister Alleges 1,000 Non-Hindus On Tirumala Temple Board's Payroll, Seeks Action

Union Minister and prominent Telangana BJP leader, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has ignited a fresh controversy by alleging that more than 1,000 non-Hindus are currently employed within the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the administrative body managing the revered Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.

The Minister made the remarks after a darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala. Mr Kumar questioned the very presence of individuals from other faiths within an institution dedicated to Hindu deities and traditions.

"How can an organization like TTD, which upholds the sanctity of Hindu dharma, allow over 1,000 non-Hindus to be on its payroll?" he asked, emphasising the need to preserve the sanctity and spiritual purity of the temple.

The BJP leader further demanded stringent action, urging the TTD to immediately identify and remove all non-Hindu employees. He stressed that the employment of non-Hindus not only violates the spiritual ethos of the temple but also potentially hurts the sentiments of millions of Hindu devotees who visit Tirumala from across the globe.

"Does anyone provide employment for Hindus at mosques and churches?" Mr Kumar asked.

The Minister also called for a comprehensive inquiry into how these appointments were made, suggesting a potential lapse in recruitment policies or deliberate circumvention of existing regulations.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the employment of non-Hindus within TTD. Previous instances have also drawn criticism, with proponents arguing that only devout Hindus should be employed in a religious institution of such significance.

The TTD administration is yet to issue an official response to Bandi Sanjay's specific claims regarding the number of non-Hindu employees. However, the allegations are likely to put pressure on the board to conduct an internal review and provide clarity on the matter.

The BJP leader demanded stringent action, urging the TTD to immediately identify and remove all non-Hindu employees.  He highlighted a recent case where a TTD AEO, A Rajasekhar, was suspended after being found regularly worshipping at a local church, questioning why action is only taken after such exposures.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the employment of non-Hindus within TTD. Previous instances have also drawn criticism, with proponents arguing that only devout Hindus should be employed in a religious institution of such significance. TTD's service rules, amended in 2007, generally prohibit the hiring of non-Hindus, though some employees hired before this amendment have continued their service.

The TTD administration has yet to issue an official response to Bandi Sanjay's specific claims regarding the number of non-Hindu employees. However, the allegations are likely to put pressure on the board to conduct an internal review and provide clarity on the matter.

The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, has previously stated that non-Hindu employees in TTD would be reassigned to other government departments.

Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, former Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), has strongly reacted to Bandi Sanjay's comments regarding the employment of non-Hindus within the TTD.

Mr Reddy has challenged Bandi Sanjay to provide evidence for his claim of over 1,000 non-Hindu employees. He pointed out that the current TTD board had recently stated there were only 22 non-Hindu employees. Bhumana Karunakar Reddy expressed suspicion that there might be a conspiracy behind Bandi Sanjay's remarks to undermine the sanctity of the Tirumala Srivari temple. He demanded an explanation from the "alliance government" regarding Bandi Sanjay's statements.

The TTD rules (G.O.Ms No. 1060, read with G.O.Ms No. 1372 in 2007) mandate that only individuals professing the Hindu religion are eligible for recruitment into TTD service, and employees must adhere to Hindu dharma and traditions.

The TTD board has also taken steps to transfer non-Hindu employees to other Andhra Pradesh government departments or offer them voluntary retirement schemes.