BJP raises questions on Jagan Reddy’s ‘Ksham Anushthan’, says declare your religion before entering Tirumala temple

Amid the Tirupati laddu controversy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded that former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy should declare his religion before entering the Tirumala temple during his proposed visit on September 28. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has claimed, citing reports, that animal fat was being used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu during Reddy’s rule. Andhra Pradesh BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari said that as per Andhra Pradesh Revenue Endowment Rule 16 and TTD General Regulations Rule 136, non-Hindus have to submit the declaration form at the Vaikuntham queue complex before darshan. The BJP leader insisted that Jagan Reddy should submit the declaration form at the Garuda statue of Alipiri itself before starting the Tirumala darshan. He said that we have been told that Jagan Mohan Reddy intends to visit Tirumala on the 28th of this month. The practice of declaring one’s faith has been prevalent in Tirumala for decades. As per GO MS No.311, Rule No. 16 of AP Revenue Endowment-1, non-Hindus should declare at the Vaikuntham queue complex before darshan as a faith. This is also as per TTD General Regulation Rule 136. BJP demands that Jagan Reddy declare his faith near the Garuda statue at Alipiri before climbing Tirumala. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP called for performing puja in all temples in the state amid the political uproar over adulteration of ghee used in making prasadam laddus for Tirupati Balaji temple. YSRCP has said that puja will be performed to restore the sanctity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. This follows the four-hour Shanti Homam Panchagavya Prokshana (ritual purification) at the Tirupati temple on September 23.