Tirupati Balaji temple to remain open even as 140 staffers including senior priest test positive for COVID-19

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Tirupati Balaji in Andhra Pradesh, one of the most visited temples in India will remain open even after a senior priest (Archaka) and staff of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body which governs the shrine, tested positive for COVID-19.

There are no plans to stop devotees to come and offer prayers at Tirupati Balaji, said a report by NDTV citing YV Subba Reddy, chairperson of TTD.

There is no evidence of pilgrims getting infected with the highly contagious disease, he said.

A total of 140 TTD staff, including 14 priests, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection since the shrine was reopened on June 11.

Of these, 70 have recovered and only one is having severe symptoms, said the report citing Reddy. Most of the infected staff are from the Andhra Pradesh Police who have been working with the temple, he said.

"We have no plan to close Tirumala temple. Senior priests will not be put on duty. Priests and employees have requested separate accommodation," Reddy said as per the report.

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The decision has been taken amid a “controversy over priests and employees testing positive for COVID-19,” as per the report.

The honorary chief priest, Ramana Dikshitulu, has raised concern over priests and employees of Tirupati Balaji temple testing positive.

In a tweet, the priest tagged Andhra Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and said that “15 out of 50 archakas carona +ve quarantined. Still 25 results awaited. TTD EO and AEO refuse to stop darshans. Obediently following anti hereditary archaka and anti brahmin policy of TDP and CBN. Disaster if this continues. Please take action."

@ysjagan 15 out of 50 archakas carona +ve quarantined. Still 25 results awaited. TTD EO and AEO refuse to stop darshans. Obediently following anti hereditary archaka and anti brahmin policy of TDP and CBN. Disaster if this continues. Please take action.

— Ramana Dikshitulu (@DrDikshitulu) July 16, 2020

Asked about the tweet, Reddy said the honorary chief priest should have given his suggestions to the TTD Board instead of putting them out on social media.

Dikshitulu, who had alleged the TTD of financial wrongdoings, was removed as chief priest of the temple in 2018 after he crossed the age for retirement, said the report.

Reddy had reappointed him as honorary chief priest to serve the temple as an adviser after his YSR Congress Party came to power in May 2019, added the report.

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