No rethink on Tirupati board's non-Hindu ban: TDP

Wed, 05 February 2025

22:00

TDP leader Nara Lokesh/File image

Telugu Desam Party leader Nara Lokesh asserted on Wednesday that there is no second thought on the decision to bar Tirupati temple board's non-Hindu employees from the management body's religious activities as it is the stand of the party's government in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the Telugu Desam Party general secretary, the son of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, also affirmed his party's absolute support to the BJP, saying the TDP is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi "through and through".

Asked about the decision of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, related to non-Hindu employees, he said, "There is no second thought about it. We spoke about it before the polls and we stand by it. We will take it to logical conclusion."

The state government minister added, "I want to be clear. There are religious sentiments involved."

He cited the example of Hindus being not allowed to work in a mosque to make his point.

Lokesh said the government will fight it out if there is any legal challenges to the decision.

As many as 18 Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) employees, who are said to be practitioners of non-Hindu faiths, have been barred from attending all religious and spiritual events conducted by the temple body, an official said on Wednesday. -- PTI

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