JAGAN CANCELS TIRUMALA TEMPLE VISIT, TDP CALLS HIM 'ANTI-HINDU'

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday postponed his planned visit to Tirumala for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara, after which the Telugu Desam Party attacked the YSRCP chief and called him “antiHindu.”

- 

This comes after the BJP and TDP demanded Jagan Reddy declare his faith before visiting the temple.

Addressing the press conference, the YSRCP chief said that “I am postponing the Tirumala visit. Many questions have been raised about my caste. I read the Bible at home, and I respect and follow Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. I belong to the community of humanity. What does the Constitution say? If a person equivalent to the Chief Minister is not allowed into the temple, I question how Dalits will be treated.”

On being asked if this (Tirupati Laddu Prasadam issue) is a serious blasphemy, he said, “That is exactly what I have been telling. It is worse than that.”

Reddy also accused CM Naidu of “blatantly lying” about the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam, adding that the ghee procurement e-tender is a routine process that has been happening for decades.