Naidu Accuses YSRCP of Shielding Tirumala Donation Box Thieves

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched a scathing attack on former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his YSR Congress Party on Monday accusing them of shielding individuals involved in the theft of offerings from the sacred Tirumala temple. Naidu expressed profound shock over the opposition's dismissal of the Parakamani donation box theft as a minor offense emphasizing that such acts amount to stealing money offered at the feet of Lord Venkateswara.

The controversy stems from a 2023 incident where a temple staff member was captured on camera pilfering cash from the Parakamani counting hall leading to widespread outrage. Naidu highlighted that his administration takes immediate action against corrupt officials through suspensions but criticized the previous YSRCP government for allegedly protecting the culprits. He further stated that only a party lacking reverence for divinity and dharma could rationalize such misconduct.

Naidu referenced additional irregularities during the YSRCP regime including complaints of substandard prasadam and the high-profile 2024 allegations of adulterated ghee containing animal fats in the preparation of Tirupati laddus. He declared that those who pilfer divine funds and their defenders now sit in opposition and expressed shame that such elements once governed the state. The Tirumala shrine remains under dual probes one examining the laddu adulteration and another investigating the donation theft.

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In retaliation the YSR Congress Party accused Naidu of distorting facts to score political points. Party representatives asserted that the Parakamani theft was uncovered through advanced robotic surveillance implemented during their tenure. They cited a recent video by the accused Ravi Kumar who subsequently donated substantial assets to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams claiming he faced blackmail attempts.

The YSRCP further charged the ruling Telugu Desam Party with misappropriating temple assets such as the Sadavarthi lands and demanded a public apology from Naidu for propagating unsubstantiated claims regarding laddu adulteration. The escalating verbal duel underscores deepening political divisions over the management and sanctity of one of India's most revered religious sites.

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