The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the affairs of the Sri Venkateswara temple atop Tirumala, has recently been facing flak, for employing 'non-Hindus'. Faced with the 'problem', the religious body has come up with a unique solution. It is contemplating enforcing a 'Thiru Namam' rule, ensuring that all its employees sport the Hindu symbol on their forehead.
“This Thiru Namam symbolises Hindu culture. And only those with staunch faith in Hinduism sport it. This will ensure that all those working in Tirumala are only Hindus,” a TTD spokesman told HT.
The modalities of this rule are being worked out, and the temple administration feels that this will be a permanent solution to this issue, according to reports.
This comes even as 44 non-Hindus who were working with the TTD are expected to be shifted to other departments of the Andhra Pradesh state government, for violating rules, said TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal.
Singhal, who participated in a 'Dial your EO' programme on Friday, spoke to mediapersons at Tirumala, saying, “As per our guidelines in tune with GOs issued in 1989 and 2007, non-Hindus will not be recruited either in teaching or non-teaching categories of TTD. We have identified 44 people who got appointed in the TTD against the guidelines since 1989. Majority of them are employed under the compassionate ground category. We are now contemplating sending them to other State government departments.”
The controversy of TTD employees practicing other faith triggered off, following the viral video of a TTD official visiting and praying at a local church.
The official was Deputy Executive Officer of TTD, Sneha Latha. She was accused of visiting church every Sunday in the official car belonging to TTD.
An internal probe was initiated into the incident. Following this, Vigilance and enforcement head Ake Ravi Krishna submitted the report this week.
Seers and Agama pandits took extreme objection to the incident and have been agitated over the employment of people following faiths other than Hindu.
Recently, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad appealed the custodians of the temple to identify employees from other faith and sack them