Tirupati: YSRCP senior leader and TTD former chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy levelled serious charges against a senior TTD official regarding Tirumala temple management.

Speaking to media here on Friday, Karunakar Reddy alleged that the senior temple official in his recent temple visit speaking to some Veda pundits opined that chanting ‘Om Namo Narayana’ is suffice as it will be understood by all devotees instead of the Veda Parayanam (chanting ) being observed daily in the temple.

It was very sad that a senior official in Tirumala slighting the chanting of the Vedas, the very foundation of Sanathana Dharma, Karunakar Reddy said, expressing fear that TTD the temple administration is likely to dilute Veda chanting in the famed Tirumala temple in the coming days.

He further said there are 56 Veda pundits for chanting the four Vedas almost round-the-clock in Tirumala temple but many pundits retired and the posts remaining vacant.

The YSRCP erstwhile Chittoor district president also alleged that the TTD security started frisking the chief priests of Tirumala temple at the behest of the same senior official and alleged that it is an insult of the priests respected by devotees.

He also alleged that the official also instructed the heads of various Peetams functioning in Tirumala to stop annadanam in their mutts.

He also saw notice served to mutts for encroaching lands. “But later the TTD official concerned hastily withdrew his instruction and also action on mutts after the Centre’s warning,” he said, adding that the aggrieved mutts approached top RSS leaders resulting in the Centre restraining the senior TTD official.

Karunakar Reddy wanted all the Hindu organisations to protest against such acts of TTD.

He also alleged that after 8 pm, the TTD vigilance staff are stopping the pilgrims going to Q complex to wait for darshan at several places in Tirumala. The TTD unable to provide proper darshan is resorting to such tactics to reduce the pilgrim number waiting for darshan in Q complex.