BJP seeks transparency in TTD board's functioning, alleges large-scale irregularities

TIRUPATI: BJP activists staged a demonstration outside the TTD administration building here on Monday, seeking increased transparency in the functioning of the devaswom trust board.

The board's decisions and resolutions must be made accessible to the public on the TTD’s official website, in accordance with the TTD Act 30 of 1987, they said.

Led by Bhanuprakash Reddy and Samanchi Srinivas, the BJP cadres raised slogans against the TTD board and state government.

Bhanu Prakash raised doubts over the alleged allocation of TTD lands on ISKCON road to a particular caste association during the previous TTD board meeting. The land is worth crores of rupees, he said, and raised concern about more land allotments based on caste considerations. This raised suspicions of corruption and created unrest among devotees, he said, and demanded a reversal of the decision.

He also highlighted the alleged attempt to bring 30 sanitary inspectors working under Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) jurisdiction under the TTD payroll. This move was in violation of law, which stipulates that funds belonging to the temple should only be used for Hindu Dharmika programmes, he claimed.

The BJP leader also called for a vigilance inquiry into alleged corruption within the forest wing of TTD, involving the allocation of shops. All board decisions taken in the last four years should be published on the SVBC channel, ensuring transparency in the TTD's operations, he said.

During the demonstration, the BJP leaders warned of a united struggle against the TTD across the state if the irregularities were not addressed promptly. BJP leaders Muni Subramanyam and Ponaganti Bhaskar were also present.