Minister for Civil Supplies Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) on Wednesday opined that the system of signing a declaration form by the non-Hindus visiting the temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala should be withdrawn.
Addressing the media here, Mr. Venkateswara Rao said, “Lord Venkateswara is regarded as an universal deity and cannot be confined to a particular region. People from various parts of the country and abroad attach immense reverence and throng the temple for darshan. While so, how far is it fair to create hurdles by imposing such man-made regulations?”
“The opposition parties are exploiting the issue at the cost of the sentiments of the people with a malicious intention of furthering their political gain,” he said.
‘Debate needed’
“There should be a debate as to who had actually introduced the system and when? Was it the Britishers, or the kings, or the successive governments, and why? The religious leaders, the TTD authorities and other learned personalities should deliberate over the merits of the subject,” the Minister observed.
When asked for his reaction to the demand made by BJP leaders that Chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy offer the silk ‘vastrams’ to the deity along with his wife, the Minister shot back saying that let those making such demands ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set an example. “Such mean demands are bound to erode the hard-earned image of Mr. Modi, who is revered by people across the country for his noble values and hard working nature,” he added.
‘Naidu’s game plan’
Ridiculing the protests against the Chief Minister’s visit to Tirumala by the TDP and the BJP leaders at Tirupati, Mr. Venkateswara Rao termed it as a part of the political game plan of TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who allegedly was behind the episode in which miscreants had pelted stones at Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Alipiri a couple of years ago.
When a reporter drew the Minister’s attention to the demand that he be removed from the State cabinet, he shot back saying that if I too make a similar demand to terminate a particular Minister from the Union Cabinet, will the BJP leadership concede my request?
“The party leadership is aware of the happenings and is competent enough to act and initiate action as and when required,” he said.
