YSRC, TD tussle over Swaroopananendra Saraswathi birthday celebrations

VIJAYAWADA: The ruling YSR Congress and opposition Telugu Desam have locked horns over paying traditional respects at various temples to Swaroopananendra Saraswathi Swami on occasion of his birthday on Wednesday.

TD leaders are alleging that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has started the “evil culture” of paying respects to the seer by misusing the endowment department. YSRC claims that this tradition had been started in 2016 by the TD government itself and the ruling party is “only continuing the tradition”.

The endowments department, in its circular, has directed executive officers (EOs) of 23 temples including those of Kanaka Durga temple at Vijayawada, Trikoteswara in Kotappakonda, and Srisailam to extend temple honours to Swaroopananendra Saraswathi Swami. The Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham had earlier written a letter to the endowments department informing the department about holding of Swaroopananendra Swami’s birthday on November 18, which is also the Nagula Chaviti festival day in the state.

The endowment department, citing the Sri Sarada Peetham letter, directed EOs to take necessary action towards extending temple honours to the seer. This has led to a rift between the ruling YSRC and opposition TD. Incidentally, the BJP has not yet expressed its opinion on the issue.

Leader of Opposition in AP Legislative Council Yanamla Ramakrishnudu alleged that the CM’s act of presenting temple honours to Swaroopananendra Saraswathi Swami is highly objectionable, as it will tarnish the self-esteem of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh. He said no such respects are paid to even the Kanchi Kamakoti seer and China Jeeyar Swami on their birthdays. Ramakrishnudu said that if the CM wants to honour Swaroopananendra Swami, he should conduct the programme with his own money and not use endowment department funds, which would tantamount to misuse of power. Similar opinions were expressed by TD politburo member Varla Ramaiah and the party’s state vice president Vemuri Ananda Surya.

YSRC MLA and AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation chairman Malladi Vishnu claimed the then Telugu Desam government in 2016 issued similar orders and YSRC government is continuing the same tradition. Vishnu maintained the government has suggested that “Seshavastrams” be presented to deities of Swaroopananendra Saraswathi Swami as a mark of respect on his birthday. He wondered what is wrong in honouring a swami.

The YSRC MLA asserted that their government respects and honours Seers of all Peethams. He demanded that TD explain why it had issued the government order in 2016 when it was in power to pay respects to Swaroopananendra Saraswathi Swami.