Tirupati laddu controversy: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body managing the Sri Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh, held its maiden meeting under new chairman B R Naidu, outlining several significant decisions aimed at improving temple operations.
Among the key resolutions, the TTD has decided to set up a panel of experts to devise an action plan to reduce the long waiting time for darshan at the temple. The waiting period, which can sometimes extend up to 20 hours, will be addressed using artificial intelligence and other technologies to decongest the temple and streamline the darshan process, said TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao.
The meeting also saw the board announce a ban on political statements at the temple, following concerns about politicians making speeches after prayers. “take an appropriate decision about non-Hindus working in Tirumala”, Rao said, according to The Indian Express.
In a move to align the temple’s workforce with its religious values, the TTD has decided to approach the state government regarding the employment of non-Hindu workers at the temple. The board aims to transfer such employees to other government institutions or offer voluntary retirement schemes (VRS).
Additionally, the TTD has opted to discontinue the AP Tourism Corporation’s special darshan quota after receiving complaints of irregularities in ticket issuance.
To ensure the quality of offerings at the temple, the TTD plans to re-tender the procurement of ghee for laddu preparation, following a controversy earlier this year regarding the purity of ingredients used in the prasad. This comes after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu raised concerns over reports of contamination in the famous laddus.
In financial matters, the TTD has decided to shift all its deposits from private banks to nationalised banks. The board also approved a 10 per cent cash reward hike for employees who provided special services during the recent Brahmotsavam festival.
These decisions mark the first steps of the TTD under its new leadership, as it aims to enhance both the religious and operational aspects of one of India’s most visited pilgrimage sites.