Hyderabad: Jayasudha, the Congress MLA from Secunderabad, has decided to bring the Tirumala declaration episode to the notice of Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. Ms Jayasudha said she was forced by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam authorities to sign a declaration saying that she has faith in the presiding deity, while no such condition was imposed on YSRC MP Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam officials’ claim that I voluntarily signed the declaration is wrong. I visited Tirumala after 12 years and after taking to Christianity. I was forced to sign the declaration by the officials. The rule should be equal for all,” Ms Jayasudha said on Friday.
“I am not against Jagan or trying to politicise the issue. But I know he did not sign the declaration. What is the point in having such a rule when it cannot be implemented?” she asked.
She said the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam authorities should do away with the declaration book since anyone who comes to have darshan of Lord Venkateshwara Swamy would naturally have faith in the Lord. “TTD should remove the declaration book. There are no such rules in Jerusalem, Vatican and other pilgrim centres,” she added. Ms Jayasudha and her family members had visited Tirumala on February 28.
“I was singled out to sign the declaration because they said they had doubts about me. Am I a terrorist? I signed the declaration. I was hurt only when I found out that many refuse to sign and no action is taken against them.”
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam says Jagan followed rules
Tirupati: The TTD issued an official statement on the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s darshan episode. Speaking to media, TTD executive officer M.G. Gopal said that no temple norms were violated during the YSRC chief’s visit to the temple. The EO rubbished the reports of Mr Reddy entering the queue lines with footwear. Meanwhile, the SHRC received a petition seeking action against Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy for his alleged entry into the Tirumala temple without following rules. The SHRC posted the hearing on the petition for Monday.
