Lokesh Urges Jagan to Respect Tirumala Traditions, Highlights Irregularities at Temple

Minister for Human Resources Development Nara Lokesh called on former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to respect religious traditions during his upcoming visit to Tirumala. Lokesh emphasized the importance of adhering to the temple’s declaration procedure, which requires visitors to affirm their beliefs before entering the sacred Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.

“I always honor the customs of other religions when visiting a church or mosque. It would be appropriate for the YSRC chief to follow the declaration process when he visits the temple in Tirumala,” Lokesh remarked during a surprise visit to a primary school in Soranga Veedhi, Srikakulam, where he reviewed the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme.

In his media address, Lokesh mentioned complaints he received from devotees about the poor quality of Laddu Prasadam during his Yuva Galam Padayatra. He revealed that an investigation by the TTD Executive Officer exposed the use of adulterated ghee in the laddus under the previous administration.

“We have set up a special committee to investigate these issues further, and the findings will be released soon,” Lokesh said. He questioned the decision by former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy to lower the eligibility turnover requirement for ghee suppliers from ₹250 crore to ₹150 crore, raising concerns about the integrity of the tender process.

Lokesh also took a jab at Jagan, suggesting that the former CM’s religious visits were politically motivated. “We all saw what happened in the last general elections after Jagan attempted to invoke divine blessings for political gains,” he remarked.

On governance, Lokesh highlighted his party’s efforts, stating, “We’ve already implemented the social security pension scheme and issued the Mega DSC notification as promised during the NDA election campaign. Unlike the previous YSRC government, we won’t avoid our responsibilities.”

Lokesh underscored the TDP’s commitment to maintaining transparency and delivering on their election promises with his comments.