The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has strongly opposing a recent land swap arrangement between the state’s Tourism Department and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The YSRCP has described the deal as a "serious violation of sanctity" and argued that land belonging to the temple should not be repurposed for commercial or non-religious activities, according to a report by NDTV.
YSRCP has raised questioned the allotment of 20 acres to a chain of luxury hotels. It has raised concerns over whether temple-owned land should be used by hotels 'serving meat and kebabs', questioning if such usage aligns with the spiritual nature of the region.
The YSRCP has demanded the cancellation of all concerned land transfers and, aware of a possible counterattack by the ruling Telugu Desam Party, has included allotments made by previous governments in its demand. The YSRCP also wants the 'restoration of sacred lands'.
The TDP retaliated and accused the YSRCP of spreading misinformation. It reminded the opposition party, that in November 2021, its government had allotted 25 acres to the same hotel chain. That land included forest lands, and the transfer was protested by religious leaders and the TDP, NDTV reported.
TDP also clarified it had now cancelled that controversial allotment and, instead exchanged land on the southern side, where several private institutions already exist. This retains the sacred northern zone under the temple's control, the TDP said, NDTV reported.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has also clarified that land near Alipiri was indeed allotted to the hotel chain and that, in November 2024, the temple trust resolved sacred land adjacent to the Tirumala hill should remain under its control. Following board resolutions in May and July, a land swap was approved - TTD taking land on north and transferring southern parcels to the Tourism Department, NDTV report further stated.
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