TTD land allocation for a grave sacrilege: CPI

Communist Party of India (CPI) national executive member K. Narayana on Saturday (December 27) termed the controversial allotment of a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) site in Alipiri to build a private resort as a classic example of ‘corporate attack on sacred land’.

During his visit to the site at Alipiri, in the foothills of Tirumala, he termed the government’s decision as a “grave sacrilege and an unacceptable attack on faith, public interest and the sanctity of the temple”.

“Apart from the issue of price and kickbacks, the basic question is whether you can use a temple land in a holy pilgrimage area for construction of a star hotel, including bars, pubs and non-vegetarian food,” he said.

Mr Narayana questioned whether the TTD Trust Board even had the authority to make such decisions and asked whether the governments were behind it. He suspected that the ‘real remote control’ in this matter was operating from Delhi.

Recalling that a similar attempt was made during the erstwhile YSRCP regime, which was opposed by the general public, supported by the TDP leaders, Mr. Narayana wondered how the TDP-led NDA regime could go ahead with a proposal it had opposed in the past.