Peethadhipathis, VHP leaders defend TTD against trust funds misuse allegations
TIRUPATI: Peethadhipathis from various Peethams and leaders of the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have condemned the allegations of misuse of Sri Venkateswara Alaya Nirmana (Srivani) trust funds of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
In response to the recent allegations, Swaswaroopanandagiri Swamy of Lalitha Peetham (Srinivasa Mangapuram), Virajananda Swamy of Brahmamgari Mutt (Kadapa), Durgaprasada Swamy of Hanumat Peetham (Hyderabad) and Y Raghavulu, national VHP joint secretary, visited Tirumala on Thursday to meet TTD executive officer Dharma Reddy and seek clarification.
Addressing the media after a fact-check, Raghavulu emphasized the significance of temples in Hindu culture, stating, "Our temples are the centres of Sanatana Hindu Dharma. In the old days, temples used to act as centres of Bhojanasala, Dharamsala, Vaidyasala, Vedasala, Mallasala, Yogasala, and Gosala.”
“TTD, being the biggest social reformer alongside its spiritual activities, has undertaken various social welfare initiatives. As Hindus, we should all support this noble cause," he said.
Raghavulu urged individuals not to make baseless allegations without knowing the facts, as it would hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees. He confirmed that a fact-check revealed that every single penny of the SRIVANI funds was being utilised for construction of new temples and restoration of ancient ones.
Swaswaroopanandagiri, Virajananda and Durgaprasada Swamijis expressed their support for TTD. “We visited Tirumala to personally verify the details of the bank accounts and temples constructed using Srivani trust funds. After a thorough scrutiny, we can confirm that there has been no misappropriation of funds.”
“We urge those with doubts to approach the TTD and seek clarification rather than making baseless allegations," they stated.
Executive officer Dharma Reddy echoed their statements and assured devotees that anyone with doubts regarding the utilisation of Srivani Trust funds could approach TTD for detailed information. He appealed to the public not to be swayed by baseless accusations. He said that over the past four years, more than 8.25 lakh people have had darshan, both online and offline, through the Srivani Trust.
Questioning the feasibility of cheating these devotees without providing proper receipts, as alleged by some individuals, Dharma Reddy said a trust operates under strict regulations and guidelines and that separate receipts are generated for donations and darshan tickets.
