Tirupati, Feb 5 Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has initiated disciplinary action against 18 employees for practising "non-Hindu religious customs or traditions".
The TTD, which manages the affairs of Sri Venkateswara temple, took action a few weeks after new TTD Board Chairman B.R. Naidu announced that only Hindus should work at the institutions run by the temple body.
The employees, who were found to be participating in non-Hindu religious activities include six teachers at various educational institutes run by it. Action has also been initiated against a deputy executive officer (Welfare), an assistant executive officer, an assistant technical officer (electrical), a hostel worker, two electricians, and two nurses, who have also been transferred.
The order, dated February 1, states that these employees should not be posted at any place in Tirumala, any temple under TTD and for any religious programme-related work. "If any one of the above employees presently working in the above said posts/places, transfer them from such religiously sensitive places immediately," reads the order issued by TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao.
The employees include Dr K.V. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, a professor at the S.V. Ayurvedic College at Tirupati, K. Sujatha and G. Asuntha, lecturer and principal at the SPW Degree and PG College at Tirupati, K. Prathap, lecturer at SGS Arts College, K Manekshaw Dayan, lecturer at S.V. Arts College; and Dr Renu Dixit, Principal of the S.V. Ayurvedic College at Tirupati.
The 18 employees have also been barred from participating in religious functions of the TTD.
According to the order, these employees were found to be participating and practising non-Hindu religious traditions even though they had taken the oath before Lord Venkateswara stating that they would follow the Hindu dharma and Hindu traditions only in compliance with Rule 9 (vi) issued in GO No 1060 of Revenue Department (Endowments) on October 24, 1989.
"Dedicated servants of the Lord Venkateswara Swamy and the esteemed TTD, all the TTD employees are committed to maintain the sanctity of the temple by upholding the traditions and values that have been followed for centuries and to uphold the beliefs and sentiments of the devotees," reads the order.
According to the order, the action has been taken as per a resolution passed by the TTD Board on November 18, 2024.
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