Questioned over his faith, Jagan cancels visit to Tirupati, slams Naidu: ‘Don’t people know it?’

Jagan and his party have been in the eye of a storm ever since the TDP led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu blamed the YSRCP for adulterated ghee containing animal fat allegedly making it to Tirupati laddus.

Addressing reporters, Jagan tried to clear the air on the allegations, reading out several reports to clarify that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials had sent back all tankers of ghee which failed tests.

He also slammed Naidu and the TDP-led NDA government for using religion to settle political scores. “I may read the Bible inside the four walls of my home, but outside, I respect Hinduism, Islam and Sikh religions. Don’t people know my religion? As CM, I have presented the sacred clothes to Lord Venkateswara. No one questioned my religion and faith ever. How dare the TDP and alliance leaders ask me not to visit the temple?” Jagan said.

Stating that leaders of the TDP, JSP and BJP were twisting words and spreading false information, he said, “Do you know the meaning of the word ‘secular’? Do not indulge in dirty politics in the name of religion. I urge all YSRCP leaders to go to temples and tell people that it is Chandrababu Naidu who has done wrong by insulting the sanctity of the Lord Venkateswara temple and the Tirupati laddus by spreading false allegations.”

Targeting Naidu, Jagan said, “What is this, Hindutva? Humanity is Hinduism. Doing good deeds means Hinduism. In my view, any Hindu who does bad things is not a real Hindu.”

Jagan said after his padayatra too, he had visited the temple to seek the Lord’s blessings. “I not only visited the temple several times, I accompanied the PM, I accompanied many leaders. Why was I not questioned then? Why is my faith under question now?” he said. “What kind of secularism is this?”

“As CM for five years, I presented the sacred clothes to Lord Venkateswara and you are asking me not to visit the temple? My father, who was also CM for five years, presented sacred clothes to the Lord. Who are you to question my religion and faith? If you want to fill a declaration form then fill it. Don’t people know my faith and religion?”

Hours after Jagan’s press conference, Naidu shot back, “If Jagan Mohan Reddy respects all religions, why is he asking why he should declare his faith before entering a temple when it is the tradition and a rule?”

“Has anyone stopped him from going to the temple? All that some people have asked is you follow the rules and regulations of the temple. So many prominent persons have signed the declaration form and visited the temple without any fuss; what prevents Jagan from doing so?”

“Nobody is bothered if Jagan reads the Bible at his home. We all follow some faith or the other. Jagan says that while he reads the Bible at home, he respects all religions outside. If so, why doesn’t he want to respect the rules and traditions of Tirumala temple – of declaring if one is from a different faith? Every law abiding citizen has done it before,” he said.

“Jagan says that as CM, he has visited the temple several times and offered sacred clothes to the Lord, and nobody stopped him or questioned his faith. I think that Jagan used his power and strong-armed his way into the temple. He broke all rules and traditions. Why will people and devotees accept that? Rowdyism will not take you anywhere… Nobody stops anyone from seeking the blessings of Lord Venkateswara. All they request is that you follow the rules and traditions,” the CM said.

Before Jagan’s press conference, police in Tirupati district had warned YSRCP leaders against organising protests or rallies. “Some key YSRCP leaders are being prevented by police from leaving their homes. They are under house arrest,” former minister Ambati Rambabu claimed.

The row began when BJP leader Lanka Dinakar and BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari asked Jagan to fill out a religion declaration form before entering the temple. Dinakar said Jagan should declare his religion, and also his faith before entering the temple.

“We demand that Jagan first apologise to all Hindus for tarnishing the spiritual sanctity of TTD and the temple. He is going to take the darshan of Lord Balaji. No one can stop him, but when he enters Tirupati Tirumala, he should provide a declaration. This should be done by all non-Hindus,” Dinkar said.

Former YSRCP MLA and former TTD board chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy shot back: “Jagan has visited the temple several times and participated in many rituals in the past; what is the need now for him to fill out the declaration form? It is a political conspiracy to defame him.”

Before Jagan cancelled his visit, Chief Minister Naidu urged people to follow the conventions and traditions at the temple. “My Government accords highest priority to safeguard the sanctity of the Lord of the Seven Hills and to preserve the sentiments of the devotees. Each pilgrim who visits Tirumala for the darshan of the Lord takes utmost care to follow the conventions and traditions to offer prayers to the Lord,” Naidu said in a statement. “My sincere request to all pilgrims is that no devotee should act against the sentiments and temple rituals.”

The TDP has claimed that non-Hindus can enter the world famous temple only after signing the “declaration of faith” to the presiding deity.

The party also released what it claims are “declaration of faith” documents of other non-Hindu celebrities and political leaders. It claimed that those who had declared their faith before entering the temple include actor Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana Khan in 2023. The party also furnished the purported “declaration of faith” of former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah.

“A file was moved making it mandatory for non-Hindus to give this declaration of faith to Lord Venkateswara,” a TDP leader said. Most non-Hindu celebrities had followed this rule since 2012, the leader claimed.