BR Naidu undermining, exploiting devotees

Tadepalli, Sep 22: Former Minister Vellampalli Srinivas has raised serious concerns over the management of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under Chairman B.R. Naidu, stating that controversial decisions are undermining the prestige of Lord Venkateswara and exploiting devotees.
Speaking on recent developments, Vellampalli criticized the prioritization of commercial events over traditional religious celebrations. He said that during Navaratri, while devotees expect sacred festivities to be honored, TTD appears to be giving more importance to the Vijayawada Utsav, organized by TDP leaders, allegedly as a cover for large-scale profiteering.
He questioned the exorbitant pricing of tickets for events such as the Ilayaraja music concert, reportedly sold at Rs. 59,000, and pointed out that the increase in VIP tickets is limiting access for ordinary devotees to Lord Venkateswara’s darshan.
Vellampalli also condemned the use of TTD to divert public attention from controversies like the medical colleges issue. He recalled that under the YSRCP government, significant developments—including the construction and inauguration of the Parakamani building with full facilities and 24×7 CCTV surveillance—helped apprehend criminals like Ravikumar, while similar vigilance failed during Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure.
He urged the government to ensure proper coordination among authorities to prevent harassment of devotees and emphasized that Lord Venkateswara’s prestige must be preserved. Those responsible for wrongdoing must face strict legal action.
Vellampalli warned that unless these acts of exploitation are stopped, YSRCP will pursue legal measures to safeguard devotees’ interests and ensure that religious celebrations remain sacred and uninterrupted.