The sanctity of Tirumala, one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines is now at the heart of Andhra Pradesh’s political battle, with the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) indulging in a bitter war of words over allegations of large-scale theft and irregularities in the Parakamani — where the cash offerings made by devotees for Lord Venkateshwara are counted.
The controversy erupted after startling claims surfaced that during the YSRCP’s tenure (2019–24), insiders in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) looted hundi donations, Parakamani collections, and supplies meant for rituals under the alleged protection of political heavyweights.
Videos and testimonies circulating on social media purportedly show a temple employee siphoning off cash and investing it in real estate.
The TDP has seized upon the revelations to accuse the YSRCP and the administration of former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of “unforgivable sacrilege in Lord Venkateswara’s abode.”
The TDP-led coalition government headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a probe by Crime Investigation Department (CID) into the alleged cash theft, with officials hinting that several “big fish” from the previous regime could face prosecution.
“We will not tolerate corruption in the temple. The guilty will not be spared,” a senior TDP leader declared.
However, the YSRCP has hit back fiercely, dismissing the allegations as a “political vendetta” designed to tarnish its image.
On Monday, Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy wrote a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah and Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, demanding a CBI inquiry or a high-level judicial probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the Parakamani theft issue.
In his letter, Gurumoorthy condemned the government’s “fabricated narratives” and warned that politicizing Tirumala would erode public faith.
“These claims lack credible evidence and due process, tarnishing the devotion of 1.2 billion Hindus worldwide who revere Tirumala as the spiritual heart of Lord Venkateswara,” the YSRCP MP said.
He accused the TDP of weaponizing temple administration for partisan gain and urged the Centre to intervene to ensure transparency.
Meanwhile, devotees and religious leaders have expressed anguish that sacred offerings were allegedly misused, demanding a foolproof system to safeguard temple funds.
The scandal — already dubbed one of the most shocking religious corruption cases in recent memory — has reignited debates over political interference in temple governance.
