Hyderabad: Endowments minister Konda Surekha sparked a fresh controversy by claiming that while the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government was getting good revenue from Telangana devotees visiting Tirumala, the devotees are facing many hardships in the hill town.
Speaking after offering prayers at the Srisailam temple, the abode of Lord Mallikarjuna, the minister said though Telangana did not gain control of the Srisailam Temple following bifurcation, the devotion of the state's people towards Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy remains strong.
She shared a personal story, saying, "My daughter vowed to visit Srisailam temple if she were blessed with a male child. The wish was fulfilled and we came with our entire family to fulfill our vow."
She urged the AP government to provide funds from the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) for the development of historic temples and Kalyana Mandapams in Telangana since it has been receiving significant revenue from the devotees from Telangana. “The TTD used to provide funds to temples and kalyana mandapams in Telangana. The AP government must respond positively and provide funds from the TTD for the development of old temples and kalyana mandapams,” Surekha suggested.
