Only Hindus should be employed at Tirumala temple: AP CM Chandrababu Naidu

TOI City Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 21, 2025, 13:58 IST

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Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu insists only Hindus work at the Tirumala Temple, reallocating non-Hindus respectfully. Plans for constructing Venkateswara Swamy temples in state capitals are under consideration. Approval for Mumtaz Hotel near the Seven Hills has been revoked to prevent commercialization.

Only Hindus should be employed at Tirumala temple: AP CM Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.

TIRUMALA: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said on Friday that only Hindus should be employed at the Tirumala Temple, adding that people from other religions working there will be reassigned to other positions without causing any offense to their feelings.
"Only Hindus should be employed at the Tirumala Temple. If individuals from other religions are currently working there, we will relocate them to other places with respect and without hurting their sentiments," the CM said.

Naidu also shared plans to construct Venkateswara Swamy temples in all state capitals across India.

He further highlighted that a sacred thread has been placed to protect Lord Venkateswara's assets worldwide and acknowledged the growing demand among devotees for temples to be established abroad as well.

The chief minister also addressed the issue of commercial activities near the Seven Hills, revealing that the government's approval for the Mumtaz Hotel adjacent to the area has now been revoked.
Initially planned on 35.32 acres of land, the hotel was intended to serve vegetarian food, but the government has decided that no private commercial establishments will be permitted near the Seven Hills of Tirumala.
Naidu emphasized, "There should be no commercialization near the Seven Hills. We have now canceled the approval for the Mumtaz Hotel project."
Reflecting on his own spiritual connection, Naidu recounted surviving multiple targeted attacks, including one involving 24 Claymore mines, attributing his survival to the divine protection of Lord Venkateswara.
He said, "Surviving such an attack was impossible, but I lived only because of the Lord's immense grace. The fact that I survived proves His incredible power."
Earlier, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) had called for the cancellation of the land allotment for the Mumtaz Hotel, which was located in the Alipiri area near the temple. The TTD Trust board had passed a resolution in November 2024 to request the government to cancel the hotel lease and use the land for temple purposes instead.
TTD chairman BR Naidu said, "We have passed a resolution requesting the government to cancel the lease and hand over the land for temple development. The hotel’s proximity to the temple is highly objectionable, especially for Hindus."
He added, "The previous government allocated the land for tourism purposes, but the current government has reversed the decision, recognizing it as inappropriate for commercial development near such a sacred site."
(With agency inputs)

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