Tirupati: Money, property, land scams hit Tirumala

Tirupati, Mar 29: Money, land, property scams hit the shrine hilltop of Tirupati where thousands of pilgrims visit Balaji Temple everyday. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) landed in a new controversy when some shocking facts have been reveled by media reports .

According to the rules and regulations, private property concept does not exist in Tirumala as all pilgrims are equal in the eyes of the Lord and all land and property belongs to the Lord. TTD controls everything in Tirumala and visitors have to stay in guest houses or in lodgings which would be allocated to them by TTD.

But what about the VIPs and VVIPs who frequently visit Tirupati? According to a report published in the Times of India, the richie rich people build luxury guest houses and donate them to TTD in the name of pilgrim service. But in name, the TTD controls these luxury guest houses and makes room allotments. However, in reality the guest houses are controlled by the big industrialists and companies who build them.

T Suryanarayana Rao - former director general of Andhra Pradesh police and president of Tirumala Tirupati Samrakshana Samithi (TTSS) has been quoted as saying, "This is nothing but a luxury pad culture. Resorts have been built on the hilltop with no consideration that it is a hilltop that has limited land."

Meanwhile, a senior IAS officer also commented, "There is no need to construct any new buildings as cottages, guest houses and dormitories atop Tirumala can easily accommodate 40,000 pilgrims a day. Building more accommodation means getting more pilgrims to Tirumala and putting more pressure for darshan."

People were shocked and surprised after realising the fact that how people (pilgrims) are being discriminated over their money and wealth power even in the place of Lord Balaji where everyone is believed to be equal.

The daily also quoted Parvatha Rao, former TTD legal counsel as saying, "Money, clout and fame is enough, the TTD will roll out a red carpet for you. TTD must realize that Tirumala is not a tourist spot but a place of worship."

OneIndia News