TTD to proceed legally on allegations over diamond

Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to take legal action against those who made “baseless allegations” on its functioning.
In recent times, it has been alleged that a pink diamond had gone missing from the treasury, and that TTD officials had dug up the Srivari Potu — the kitchen where prasadam is prepared for the Venka-teswara temple at Tirumala — for hidden treasure.

The TTD administration felt the comments made by retired Pradhana Archaka Dr A.V. Ramana Deekshitulu and some others had damaged the image of TTD. Devotees were hurt by the allegations, officials contended.

The TTD public relations and legal departments are collecting reports on the issue in the media and plans to take action against news organisations. Though TTD executive officer A.K Singhal had said the TTD legal team was studying all details, no one expected it would happen so quickly.

TTD board member and TD MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao said, “We had a detailed discussion during the last board meeting. The board felt that the devotees were hurt with the developments that took place following the statements of Dr Deekshitulu, so the board has taken the decision to go legally”
He said Mr Deekshitulu had said that he would fight the TTD legally. “Why can’t the TTD do that,” Mr Rao said.

The videos on the controversy are still doing the rounds on social media. A video of Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji head priest C.S. Rangarajan questioning Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is still viral on social media.

He accused Mr Naidu of being anti-Dr Deekshitulu. The TTD had issued noticed Dr Deekshitulu for taking his grandson into the temple through the mahadwaram. Mr Rangarajan asked, “How can the grandson of Mr Naidu sit in Ugadi asthanam, when the Pradhana Archaka can’t take his grandson inside the temple. Can a CM come along with his entire family to the festivals that are organised by the government? Your brother-in-law will be an MLA, your son can be given a ministry without contesting in regular elections.”

The Rayalaseema Porata Samiti (RPS) has sought an inquiry headed by a High Court judge and suggested legal action based on the report. RPS convener P. Naveen Kumar Reddy said, “The allegations were not made by a common man, it was made by the Pradhana Archaka. He made the allegations a day before his retirement. The TTD should consider him as a whistleblower and an inquiry should be done with a committee headed by a High Court sitting judge. If the committee says that the allegations were wrong then the Archaka who made them should be punished. If committee says that the allegations were true then the officials should be punished”.

He said he was pained at the way the TTD and the government were treating Dr Deekshitulu. “One minister says he should be kept behind bars and beaten till the facts are out, the TTD says it will proceed legally. Unable to prove that the allegations are false, they are behaving as per their wish. This is definitely not the way to prove that the allegations are false”.