Bharatiya Janata Party State official spokesperson Samanchi Srinivas on Saturday faulted the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for causing confusion among pilgrims from across the country over darshan timings and forcing them to wait for three-to-four days to have darshan at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala.
He said the TTD’s announcement of providing darshan to 15,000 pilgrims daily offline has led to devotees getting stranded downhill.
Addressing a press meet at Tirupati, the BJP leader questioned as to what right the TTD had to stop the stranded pilgrims from going to Tirumala. The TTD also had no plan of action to provide hassle-free darshan, accommodation, and ‘annaprasadam’ to the devotees, he said.
Terming the TTD’s Board meeting “auction-like”, Mr. Srinivas demanded that the TTD immediately withdraw the move to hike the prices of the Arjitha Seva tickets, and to not close down the private hotels at Tirumala. He also demanded that the TTD release both the ₹300 and free darshan tickets to pilgrims daily.
Mr. Srinivas said that if the TTD failed to concede to their demands, the BJP would resort to agitation along with the devotees.
