Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has sparked much debate questioning why they must rely on the services of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) administrators to go for darshan at Tirumala. Reddy underlined the strong religious background of Telangana and said the public must give precedence to going for and encouraging visits to Telangana’s own hallowed landmarks like Yadadri Temple (YTD). Addressing the ‘Praja Palanalo Koluvula Panduga’ programme organised in Hyderabad, the Chief Minister laid stress on observing Telangana’s religious and cultural milestones. On the occasion, he also inaugurated the ‘Build Now Portal’ and distributed appointment letters to 922 new staff in the Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, and Municipal Administration departments.
The Chief Minister stated, “Why do we need to continue going to Andhra Pradesh authorities or the TTD for darshan of Lord Venkateswara? If they have TTD, we have YTD (Yadadri Temple Devasthanam). Telangana also has Lord Rama in Bhadrachalam and some ancient Shiva temples.”. Rather than depending on Tirumala, let us develop and respect the temples in our own state.” Revanth Reddy identified the distinct cultural identity of Telangana and appealed to citizens to adopt and maintain the religious heritage of the state. He also pointed out the importance of developing the local landmarks, which can be both spiritually and economically beneficial.
These remarks follow a complaint by a number of Telangana MLAs and MPs, who said that TTD officials were indifferent, even when they approached them with official recommendation letters for darshan. Numerous leaders have called on the Chief Minister to raise the issue with the Andhra Pradesh government. In this context, Revanth Reddy’s statement has drawn considerable attention, sparking debates regarding Telangana’s cultural pride and the necessity of increased self-reliance in marketing its temples and traditions.