Tirupati temple board suspends 4 employees for ‘practising other religions’

These employees are believed to have violated the institution’s code of conduct and acted irresponsibly in their duties while representing and working for a Hindu religious organisation, the TTD said in a statement.

After examining a report submitted by the TTD Vigilance Department and other evidence, departmental action was taken against them as per the rules and the four employees were immediately suspended, it said.

The suspensions are the latest in a wider effort to transfer or suspend officials belonging to other faiths from the TTD.

On July 8, the TTD  had suspended assistant executive officer A Rajasekhar Babu stating that he attends local church prayers every Sunday in his hometown Puttur in Tirupati district.

TTD sources said that the board has taken a decision not to allow any non-Hindu to work in the TTD, especially in the temples governed and managed by it.

After the Telugu Desam Party-led NDA government came to power in June last year, the TTD has transferred several non-Hindu employees working in various positions in the TTD. In February this year, the TTD  transferred 18 employees for allegedly practicing and participating in non-Hindu religious activities. The transferred employees include six teachers at various TTD educational institutes, a deputy executive officer (welfare), an assistant executive officer, an assistant technical officer (electrical), a hostel worker, two electricians and two nurses.

On November 18, in its maiden meeting of the TTD under new chairman B R Naidu, the board had decided to transfer non-Hindus and ban political speeches on its premises.