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7,000 folk artistes, bhajan troupes protest against TTD

As part of the protests, they staged demonstrations in a novel way by chanting bhajans in a non-stop manner and with folklore performance.

Tirupati: Around 7,000 folk artistes and bhajan troupes from various villages and mandals of Madanapalle reached Tirupati on Thursday and surrounded the TTD administrative buildings here demanding the TTD management to implement the assurances that was promised to them by the then TTD officials, two years ago.

As part of the protests, they staged demonstrations in a novel way by chanting bhajans in a non-stop manner and with folklore performance.

The artistes, under the banner of ‘Janapada Vruthi Kalakarulu (JKS) set out their long march on September 21 from Madanapalle and reached here on Thursday and later trekked to Tirumala to perform an Akhanda Bhajana.

While addressing mediapersons, JKS president P. Yadagiri said: “After a long struggle by the bhajan artistes from various parts of the district, the TTD management had then assured us to provide to and fro transport charges to all the artistes participating in the ‘Akhand Bhajan’ in Tirumala.

They also promised us instruments such as Tabala, Harmonium and public address systems at the temples where the bhajan troupes registered with TTD are attached, but none has been implemented yet”.

“The TTD agreed to organise a felicitation function to honour Gurus of troupes with a honorarium and also to provide insurance coverage to artistes of the bhajan troupes that were registered with TTD Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad (HDPP). Besides the four demands that the TTD promised to implement, we put forth more demands such as registration of new bhajan mandalis, including 15 members of the troupe, providing darshan facility to Gurus and also for the instrument artistes of the troupes, issuance of identity cards to the members of all registered troupes and giving opportunity to folk and bhajan troupes to perform in TTD programmes such as Mana Gudi, Kumkuma pooja and Gau pooja and other mass programmes being held state-wide,” Yadagiri said.

TTD outsourced employees stage protest

The outsourced contractual workers working in the TTD pilgrim complex Vishnu Nivasam, on Thursday, staged a protest demanding that the TTD management should stop the contractor from harassing them.

The maintenance, sanitary and health workers were not allowed to do their duties, citing disciplinary action against them after they complained of harassment by the contractor.

This season is considered to be Peratasi Masam and the huge rush of devotees putting up in the complex, caused a lot of inconvenience due to the protests of the workers.

YSR Congress MLA R.K Roja joined the protest and expressed her solidarity with the agitating workers.

Addressing the gathering she said, “The workers have resorted to protests, after a notice was issued recently to 25 workers informing them of their removal from services.”

The MLA also said that it was unfortunate that the TTD management had turned a blind eye to the demands of the contractual workers seeking termination of contractor Bhaskar Naidu.

The contractor had put the TTD management in a dilemma, by citing good relations with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

She further added that YSRC would join the protest of the TTD Contract Employees Union and would step up the agitation to press the TTD to end the contract of Bhaskar Naidu.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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