BJP spokesperson G. Bhanuprakash Reddy on Saturday demanded that every devotee coming for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara be allowed to travel up to Tirumala.
Speaking to mediapersons, he said at a time when all the educational institutions are re-opened, airlines operating to their full capacity and thousands of people taking part in the elections in five States, the Tirumala-bound pilgrims are being disallowed from reaching the town on the pretext of ‘measures for combating COVID-19’.
On the other hand, the indiscriminate issuance of offline Sarva darshan tokens in Tirupati is also subjecting the pilgrims to severe difficulties, forcing them to invade public places, platforms and pavements. This, he said, can be efficiently countered by allowing them to travel up to the town and seek free shelter at the TTD Pilgrim amenities Complex (PAC)s and free food at Annadanam complex.
He also urged TTD to re-think its decision of closing down all the eateries and restaurants atop the town. The fact that hundreds of families eke out their livelihood should not be ignored, he said.
Mr. Bhanuprakash Reddy, who also took a dig at the proposed enhancement of the price of Arjitha Seva tickets, said that the town is a spiritual center and not a commercial enterprise.
