Andhra: TDP leader Nara Lokesh expresses anger at quality of Anna Prasadam at Tirumala

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 5 (ANI): TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Tuesday expressed anger at the quality of Anna Prasadam at Tirumala and said that the pilgrims to Tirumala consider the Anna Prasadam as the blessing of Lord Venkateswara but the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is least worried about its poor quality.
Expressing anger at the negligence of the TTD authorities over the quality of Anna Prasadam, Lokesh said in a statement released here that the pilgrims revolting against the TTD on the supply of such low-quality food for them at Tirumala Vengamamba Anna Prasadam reflects how the temple authorities are resorting to largescale corruption atop the Tirumala Hills.
"My grandfather, the late NT Rama Rao, had launched the Anna Dana Nilayam on April 6, 1985, atop the Tirumala Hills and since then slowly but steadily the system of supplying free food has been extended widely with the help of all sections to satiate crores of pilgrims hunger," the TDP national general secretary said.
These Anna Prasadams, which were set up with liberal donations from patrons, have turned into centres of corruption after the YSRCP came to power, Lokesh remarked and regretted that the quality of the Anna Prasadams too has been lowered.
"Devotees, who come to Tirumala from across the country, consider the food supplied at the Anna Prasadams as more sacred than even Prasadam", the TDP leader said and demanded the TTD to answer the pilgrims as to why such poor quality food is being supplied at the Anna Prasadams.
Stating that he donates Rs 30 lakh every year on the birthday of his son, for Anna Danam (food charity), Lokesh asked where all the money being donated by several lakhs of people like him is going and why such inferior quality food is being supplied to the pilgrims.
"The ruling party leaders threatening to register cases against those who raise their voices on the corruption and irregularities in the TTD raises doubts about the involvement of the ruling party leaders in the corruption in TTD", the TDP national general secretary added.
Lokesh further highlighted the compensation to be given to the family members of a kid who was killed by a tiger, Lokesh said, "It is atrocious that no compensation has been paid yet to the family members of a kid who was killed by a tiger though the court has also ordered for the payment."
"It is really surprising that the TTD, which gets the highest revenue in the world, does not have even Rs 5 lakh to pay as ex gratia to the family of that kid", he added. (ANI)