Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s decision to go ahead with his Tirupati trip to visit the hilltop shrine of Lord Venkateshwara has stirred the hornet’s nest again. CM Jagan was in Tirumala to attend the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams festival. Traditionally, Chief Ministers of the state, including Jagan’s father YS Rajashekhara Reddy have been regulars to the festival.
But this visit became the central point of a political feud with the opposition insisting that Jagan, a devout Christian, should sign the temple’s faith declaration form. CM Jagan who flew to Renigunta from New Delhi, visited the hill shrine and offered the silk vastrams to the Lord as per the tradition. Though an official reaction has not yet come on whether Jagan signed the form this time, the YSRCP has given enough indications over the past few days that it is unlikely to happen.
However, this is not the first time that Jagan has been embroiled in a controversy about not signing the faith declaration form. The form is for non-Hindus who have to declare their faith in the temple’s deity- Lord Balaji. In 2012, Jagan Mohan Reddy who was the Member of Parliament representing the Kadapa constituency visited the hill shrine along with Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, former Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD) Chairman. He was also the YSRCP candidate for the Tirupati assembly seat.
Interestingly, after Jagan’s visit, while addressing the media, TTD Executive Officer LV Subramanyam said, “The MP did not sign the declaration form. When the staff asked him for it, he told them that he had already signed the form during his visit in 2009. He further explained that when his father late YS Rajasekhar Reddy had served the lord for almost almost five years as chief minister there was no need for him to declare his faith again and again.” He had also gone on to say that it is a matter of faith and that does not mean anyone from another religion not signing the form would not be not allowed for a darshan.
Back in 2009 also TDP had strongly opposed Jagan’s entry into the temple without signing the declaration form. Back then, TDP legislator Dadi Veerabhadra Rao had said that Jagan had displayed his hatred towards Hinduism.
This entire issue cropped up again recently when TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, and Jagan’s uncle stated on September 18 that there was no need for Jagan to declare his faith in Lord Venkateshwara to be able to enter the temple. He went on to say that devotees from various religions come to visit Lord Venkateshwara and that it is impossible to collect declarations from everyone.
The faith declaration form is the temple's decades old rule that every non-Hindu intending to have the darshan of the Lord should declare his or her faith in Lord Venkateshwara before entering the temple. The rule that non-Hindus should declare their faith in the Lord was introduced in April 1990 through Government Order (GO) No. 311.
A copy of the government order which TNM has accessed reads, "The declaration should be presented to the Peishkar, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams or other officer in charge of the temple (other than Sri Tirumala Temple) who may after making such enquiries as he deems fit, accord the permission sought for. On grant of such permission he can be admitted into the temple in the same manner as any other pilgrim is admitted".
In an open letter to the TTD Chairman, Prof Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu, who is a professor of Law and also a former Information Commissioner slammed the TTD Chairperson for saying that it is not required for the Chief Minister to sign a declaration form.
He said, “It is an established practice consolidated over a period to secure a declaration signed by any VVIP of a different religion before entering the temple. It is sad that you have said that there was no need for any declaration, the reasons for which are best known to you.
In the letter, Acharyulu has mentioned how in the past APJ Abdul Kalam when he was President of India had visited the shrine after he signed the declaration. He says that the President waited patiently for the authorities to bring the book, knowing well that the rules require him to sign a declaration.
The former information commissioner also quoted the example of a former Chief Justice of pre-divided Andhra Pradesh. In the letter he said, “Then another example for your understanding, the Chief Justice of pre-divided Andhra Pradesh Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru, who just before entering temple came to know about declaration and refused to sign that he would believe in Lord Venkateshwara, because he would not believe. He is sincere enough to say that he will respect the custom and rule and left without entering the temple. He believes in being truthful and thus refused to file a false declaration. Mrs Sonia Gandhi declared that she was Indian, believes in its culture and tradition hence agreed to declare her belief.”
Government former chief secretary IYR Krishna Rao, who had also served as the TTD executive officer, said the faith declaration rule is not new. "During my student days, foreigners accompanying us were allowed after signing the declaration", he tweeted.
Faulting the statement days ahead of chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's scheduled visit to the temple on Wednesday. "There is no rule that CM should offer the clothes. In absence of faith, the ritual can be performed by the endowments minister", he mentioned.
TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, ruling YSR Congress rebel MP K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju and several others opposed the relaxation of the rule.
When the issue turned out to be yet another controversy, the TTD Chairperson, YV Subba Reddy conveyed that the Chief Minister has great faith in Lord Venkateshwara. He also recollected how Jagan had visited the hill shrine before and after his padayatra that had catapulted him to power. He also mentioned how Jagan had taken oath only after visiting the shrine.