Tirupati, March 7: YSRCP State spokesperson and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy strongly criticised TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu, stating that he has no moral authority to speak about the sacred Bhagavad Gita. Addressing the media at his residence here on Saturday, Bhumana remarked that Naidu understands only the first two letters of the word “Gita” and mocked his attitude by saying that, in Naidu’s view, devotion itself has been reduced to vulgarity. He said it is inappropriate for someone who fails to understand the sanctity of the Bhagavad Gita to use it for political purposes. Bhumana explained that during their tenure they published a simplified book explaining the essence of the Bhagavad Gita so that young students could easily understand its teachings, and that the distribution of such books to students is clearly mandated in the TTD manual.
Responding to allegations made by B.R. Naidu, Bhumana said the TTD Chairman falsely claimed that Rs. 50 crore had been spent on printing Bhagavad Gita books in Chennai and that his son was involved in the printing. Bhumana clarified that the books were printed through a reverse-tendering process and awarded to a Mumbai-based paper company that quoted the lowest bid. He stated that Chennai had no role in the printing process and that printing one crore copies in five languages cost only Rs. 3.71 crore, of which about 52 lakh copies were actually printed. He asserted that the work orders were issued directly by TTD and challenged Naidu to prove the Rs. 50 crore allegation. Bhumana declared that if his clarification is proven false he would quit politics permanently, but if Naidu’s allegations are false, the TTD Chairman must resign from his post and apologise to the public.
Bhumana also criticised Naidu for allegedly disrespecting the Bhagavad Gita, stating that during a TTD meeting he threw the book aside and later ridiculed it during a press conference by asking what was inside the book and dismissing it as “trash.” Bhumana said such remarks amount to insulting Lord Krishna himself. He noted that the book they published is a 26-page simplified version containing the essence of the Bhagavad Gita to help the younger generation understand its teachings easily. If anyone proves that the book does not reflect the essence of the Gita or contradicts its teachings, Bhumana said he will stop speaking about politics. He accused B.R. Naidu of spreading misinformation through certain television debates and said that instead of addressing the controversies surrounding him, the TTD Chairman is trying to malign a meaningful initiative meant for devotees and students. Bhumana asserted that their fight against injustice and mismanagement in TTD will continue.
*Red Book rule replaced the Constitution*
