Amid the ongoing controversy over the construction of Mumtaz Hotels near Alipiri in Tirupati town, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced the cancellation of the permission granted to the hotel project by the previous YSR Congress Party government.
“We are withdrawing the permission granted to the hotel in Tirupati. We will not allow any activity that goes against the Hindu faith near the Tirumala Hills, and we are committed to protecting the sanctity of the Seven Hills,” Naidu told reporters in Tirumala.
The land allotment for the Mumtaz Hotel, proposed to be developed by the Oberoi Group, has sparked protests from Hindu organizations and religious leaders.
They recently held a demonstration, voicing concerns that the hotel’s construction would undermine the sanctity of Tirumala and threaten Sanatana Dharma.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has already been filed in the state High Court over the issue. On Friday, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) submitted an affidavit clarifying its position on the project.
In the affidavit, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao stated that the TTD Trust Board had passed a resolution on November 18 last year, requesting the state government to cancel the allotment of 20 acres of land in Peruru village, Tirupati Rural Mandal, which had been allocated to the Oberoi Group for hotel construction.
The proposed hotel was to include luxury rooms, bars, lounges, party halls, spas, and other amenities. Permitting such facilities near Tirumala would violate the spiritual sanctity of the hills, contradict Hindu traditions, and disrupt the religious atmosphere of the temple town.
Rao added that the TTD had written to the Revenue Department in December last year, asking for the reallocation of the 20-acre plot to the TTD itself, for the purpose of providing accommodation and other facilities to the millions of devotees visiting Tirumala.
Furthermore, under Section 114 of the Endowments Act, the government holds the authority to prohibit any activities that could compromise the sanctity of Tirumala, including begging and the consumption of intoxicants.
The TTD has urged the High Court to take these factors into account and issue appropriate orders to safeguard the spiritual integrity of Tirumala.
