CPM, Cong demand action against TTD staff for manhandling pilgrims

Tirupati: CPM senior leader K Murali and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) member G Chittibabu condemned the manhandling of pilgrims in Tirumala on Thursday and demanded action on those found responsible for resorting to physical attack on devotees, who came for the auspicious Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.

In a strongly worded statement here on Friday, Murali said that it was ruthless that the devotees were physically assaulted even as their children and wives wailing and crying helplessly near the shrine and wanted stern action on the persons resorting to such merciless acts. Despite knowing well that pilgrims arrive in more numbers for Vaikunta Ekadasi, TTD miserably failed to ensure adequate arrangements and basic facilities resulting in the devotees going to the extent of raising slogans against EO and Additional EO.

Pointing that the temple management was able to provide darshan only to 46,000 on Vaikunta Ekadasi as against more one lakh in the previous Vaikunta Ekadasis, he said it amply revealed the TTD inability to ensure the interests of common pilgrims. In this connection, he cited TTD issuing about 4,000 Sri Vani Trust breakdarshan tickets and added TTD focussed more on money based darshan and VIPs facilities and not providing basic facilities like water to the devotees waiting in the compartments for hours to have their turn of darshan. The devotees more so women and children, who were on fast suffered much due to the inordinate delay in providing darshan.

Alleging that the pilgrims, who have given the time slot at 1 pm had darshan after 8 in the night, he said TTD management and government should think how far it is rightful to leave the pilgrims in lurch. Congress leader Chittibabu demanded TTD officials to tender a public apology for ill-treating and manhandling the devotees. It is first time in the recent history of Tirumala temple that common pilgrims darshan commenced very lately at about 8 in the morning to take care of darshan of VVIPs and VIPs including big number of ruling party leaders and their family members at the cost of common devotees.

He also demanded TTD EO to make public the details of the number of VIPs provided darshan on Vaikunta Ekadasi Day in Tirumala temple and also an enquiry into the lapses leading to the sad incident of manhandling of pilgrims, who spoke the ordeal faced due to inordinate delay in darshan.