Bid to scrap VIP darshan at Tirumala stone walled
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh endowments minister P Manikyala Rao's enthusiastic efforts to abolish the system of recommendation letters for VIP break darshan at Tirumala are being opposed not only by several MLAs and officials but also his own colleagues in the state cabinet.
The reason is that if the system is scrapped, it would draw the ire of supporters of politicos, workers of political parties and also some of the commoners, who take help of this system for speedy darshan of Venkateswara.
Following growing pressure from his party leaders, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to have put the issue of scrapping it on hold for now.
In fact, after streamlining the VIP darshan system at Tirumala, endowments minister Manikyala Rao recently sent a proposal to the chief minister requesting him to scrap issuance of recommendation letters for VIP break darshan.
It is learnt that Rao told Naidu that he is not against continuing VIP darshan for public representatives but wants the culture of issuing recommendation letters for VIP darshan be stopped permanently.
As the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and senior government officials issue recommendation letters to the general public for VIP break darshan and other facilities in Tirumala, it is causing inconvenience to ordinary pilgrims.
Though each VIP pass can provide darshan only for 6 persons, around 12 to 15 people crowd in for darshan on one VIP pass.
Apart from constitutional authorities, politicians, celebrities and big donors, anyone who manages to get a letter of recommendation from the TTD joint executive officer can have the VIP break darshan. For every one hour of VIP break darshan, about 5,000 common devotees are denied darshan.
The temple has to manage a large number of pilgrims during various auspicious days and festivals every year and due to VIP darshan recommendation letters, other devotees have to wait for long hours for darshan.
Because of this, Rao had already restricted VIP break darshan from 5,000 to 900 persons a day and had banned VIP break darshan during Vaikuntha Ekadasi Day. He had asked the TTD officials not to entertain any VIP recommendation letters either for darshan or accommodation on New Year's Day. Now, he wants to abolish the system of recommendation letters permanently.
News Posted: 29 December, 2014
|
