Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP leader slams TTD and state government over the security of devotees in Tirumala

Tadepalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 3 (ANI): The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) on Saturday slammed the Telugu Desam Party (TTD) and coalition government for its "total failure" in safeguarding the sanctity of Tirumala following an incident of desecration atop Govindarajaswamy temple on Friday night.
Speaking to the media, YSRCP leader and former MLA Malladi Vishnu alleged that neither TTD officials nor the coalition government has any concern for devotees, and "safety measures were left to the winds with a drunkard climbing the Govindarajaswamy temple at Tirumala and vandalising the idols and kalasam."
"This is sacrilege, and the officials should take responsibility," he said, adding that "the TTD Board and coalition government have been busy serving the VIPs during the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi, which draws huge crowds of devotees."
Hr further denounced the board and the government for "deliberately discouraging devotees from visiting Tirumala," hurting the devotees' sentiments.
"...they instead urged them to pray at their nearest temples, thereby hurting their sentiments. Ever since Chandrababu made the false allegation that the laddu contained adulterated ghee, there have been a series of incidents that have hurt devotees' sentiments," Vishu said.
During Vaikunta Ekadasi, there was a stampede claiming human lives, which was followed by a series of incidents at Kasibugga and Simhachalam and a power failure for over three hours at Kanakadurga temple.
Addressing the incident, Vishnu said, "It shows the scant respect the Chandrababu government has for Sanathana Dharma."
Moreover, he referred to the recent damage to the Shiva Linga in Draksharamam and demanded accountability from the government for the unfortunate incidents.
"The most recent case in Draksharamam, where the Shiva Linga was damaged, was hushed up as the accused was a TDP sympathiser. There is no safety for devotees, hundi, or gosala, and the prasadam quality has declined significantly. The government should take responsibility to give a convincing answer to last night's incident," he said. (ANI)