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Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday, July 12 said that legislators and other dignitaries from Karnataka will be allowed to participate in the first aarti at the Tirumala temple. The CM’s statements were criticised by BJP leaders as politically motivated.
“The first aarti performed daily at Tirupati belongs to Karnataka”. “Only the chief minister had that privilege till now. On a daily basis, the aarti was witnessed by a special officer of the Karnataka government in Tirupati. I have instructed officials to issue an order to extend this privilege to any dignitary who visits—be it ministers, MLAs, senior officials, judges, or anyone representing the government,” CM Shivakumar had said.
Shivakumar added that many MLAs had returned from Tirumala without getting a darshan, and that now they would be given the opportunity to stand before the deity and receive the aarti.
The first aarti at the temple in Andhra Pradesh is called Tirumala Nitya Aarathi and is offered to Lord Venkateswara in the sanctum in the presence of monks, special representatives, the head priest, and a special officer representing the Maharaja of Mysore, who has historical connections to the temple.
'It is atrocious and ridiculous of DK Shivakumar to say what TTD board should do and it is surprising to see Congress saying that it is an honour,” said Karnataka BJP spokesperson GS Prashanth.
TTD trust member and Andhra BJP spokesperson G Bhanuprakash Reddy also asked DK Shivakumar to not make the temple a ‘political arena.’
“Yesterday D K Shivakumar ji said he is planning to introduce a new proposal to allow MLAs, ministers and officers to attend the Mangal Arathi. This is not correct. These privileges were traditionally granted to the Mysore Maharaja. They are not for you, your cabinet, or your MLAs. You withdraw your words. This is a spiritual place; don’t make it a political arena. I will raise the issue before the board meeting, which will be held tomorrow,” he said.
Bhanuprakash also said that if Karnataka’s demand was accepted, other states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala would also make similar demands. “We will pass a resolution opposing the proposal,” he said.
