Tirupati:Bharatiya Janata Party leader P. Naveen Kumar Reddy has expressed strong opposition to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ (TTD) recent decision to restrict the distribution of the sacred ‘Srivari Laddu’ to only two per devotee without darshan, based on Aadhaar card identification.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, the BJP leader argued that this policy unfairly affects ordinary pilgrims who often travel great distances and endure long waits to visit the sacred Tirumala temple. He emphasised that the Tirumala laddu is considered a sacred blessing and is an essential part of the pilgrimage experience.
“Devotees coming to Tirumala through various means—on foot, by bus or train—sometimes face long waiting times, up to 30 to 40 hours, to have a darshan of Lord Venkateswara. When darshan is not possible due to heavy crowds, devotees typically offer a coconut at the ‘Akilandam’ and purchase five or ten laddus as prasadam to distribute among family and friends,” he explained and noted that the new laddu policy will affect such common devotees.
Naveen Reddy criticised the TTD’s decision to limit laddus to two per person as unreasonable, urging the authorities to reconsider the restriction, which he likened to a rationing system. He also called for an investigation into reports of large quantities of laddus being distributed for private events, stressing the need for a stronger vigilance system to prevent misuse.
The saffron party leader warned that creating artificial scarcity of Srivari Laddus could lead to black market activities, with middlemen exploiting devotees. He stressed that the TTD should ensure the sacred laddus remain accessible to all devotees, maintaining the temple’s long-standing traditions. Naveen Reddy further stated that he had brought this issue to the attention of endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who assured swift action to prevent any inconvenience to devotees.
