TIRUPATI: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions on Thursday criticised the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for giving a free rein to e-commerce website Amazon to sell the trust’s New Year calendars and diaries at higher prices. However, the temple body backed the move claiming that it only entered into a deal with Amazon to facilitate the hassle-free sale of its calendars and diaries to devotees across the globe.
Stating that TTD calendars and diaries were being sold at prices higher than the original rates on Amazon, CITU general secretary Kandarapu Murali faulted the TTD for enabling the e-commerce firm to reap profits at the devotees’ cost.
“A TTD calendar with an imprint of Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi is originally priced at Rs 15. But it was offered at Rs 299 and after discount, it was being sold at Rs 149 to the devotees. Similarly, the large calendar with an imprint of Lord Venkateswara was priced at Rs 299 and sold at a ‘discounted price’ of Rs 199 on Amazon,” Murali alleged.
He also alleged that a TTD diary, originally priced at Rs 130, was listed for Rs 799 and after discount, was being sold for Rs 499 on Amazon. “It is incorrect that the TTD is giving free rein to a shopping website to sell its diaries and calendars at higher prices,” he said, and demanded the temple board to end this unlawful business and reveal its agreement with Amazon.
Meanwhile, when contacted over phone, a senior public relations official of the TTD clarified that the temple management had entered into an arrangement with Amazon to facilitate devotees across the globe to easily get the temple calendars and diaries through the shopping website.
“The TTD is not forcing the devotees to buy its calendars and diaries on Amazon. In fact, the temple body has made the new year calendars and diaries available at all counters in Tirumala and Tirupati, and at all its information centres across the country, selling them at the original prices. We made an agreement with Amazon only to provide a hassle-free sale of these products to those devotees who do not have access to our information or publication centres. Only such devotees are buying them on Amazon or through India post at differential prices,” the senior official maintained.
