In a swift decision, YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced on Wednesday that he would visit the Lord Venkateshwara temple on Saturday, seemingly to demonstrate that no desecration of the temple's sanctity occurred during his regime.
This decision comes in response to the recent controversy regarding the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the making of Tirumala laddu with animal fat during his tenure, which has sparked a nationwide uproar over his religious beliefs.
Jagan is expected to arrive in Tirumala on Friday night and offer prayers to Lord Venkateshwara the following day, Saturday.
Now, an interesting debate has emerged in media circles: Will the TTD authorities insist that Jagan sign the declaration of his faith in Lord Venkateshwara, as he is a practicing Christian?
Over the years, no one has dared to ask Jagan to prove his belief in the Tirumala lord. Only once, in the early days of his political career, did Jagan sign the declaration, which is mandatory for all non-Hindus visiting Tirumala.
However, with the current controversy surrounding the alleged desecration of the Tirumala temple during his regime, and allegations from ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders that Jagan encouraged non-Hindus at Tirumala, the issue of the declaration has resurfaced.
TDP president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu raised the matter on Tuesday, questioning why Jagan does not sign the declaration when visiting Tirumala.
"This shows that he has no faith in Lord Venkateshwara," Naidu remarked.
Since the Chief Minister himself has brought up the issue, it is possible that the TTD authorities might request Jagan to sign the register, declaring his faith in Lord Venkateshwara. Whether Jagan chooses to do so remains to be seen.
