Tirupati : 30 seers to walk for TTD jewels

Tirupati: As many as 30 Hindu pontiffs and about 300 activists will march from Vijayawada to Tirupati to press their demand for a committee to inquire into allegations that jewels donated to the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati have gone missing.

They will start the padyatra or march after offering a sari at the Kanakadurga temple in Vijayawada on July 29. They will then walk about 30 km a day and are scheduled to reach Tirupati on August 12, after walking through 500 villages, and will hold a meet at Indira Grounds.

Saivakshetram head Siva Swamy said, “Before we complete the 15-day march, the government should constitute a committee to find the facts to clear the allegations on the jewels of lord Venkateswara. The committee should contain board members, members of Vedic committee, Swamijis, gemologists and appraisers. If the government doesn’t constitute the said committee before completion of our 15-day foot march, then our action plan will be immediately announced at the public meeting.”

Saivakshetram head Siva Swamy said problems began after the government announced the new trust board. “The government tried to appoint Christians as board members. The appointment of the chairman, Putta Sudhakar Yadav, was opposed by many, but some of the leaders had played some politics. Later, Ramana Deekshitulu had made several allegations about the TTD. We don’t know what the government wants to do with TTD or Hindu devotees.”