Tirupati, July 17: Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) president and local MLA K Chiranjeevi today demanded a probe into missing jewels gifted by Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya to Lord Venkateswara.
Addressing a gathering after paying floral tributes to the statue of Sri Krishnadevaraya at Leela Mahal junction, he said the probe should be conducted by a sitting Supreme Court judge, legislative committee or CBI.
In his inimitable style, the actor turned politician said people were in utter confusion because of contradictory reports on the fate of gold ornaments donated by the Vijayanagara emperor. Some Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials reportedly stated that the gold ornaments gifted by the emperor were melted and the yellow metal was used for some purpose. If so what happened to the precious stones studded in the ornaments? he questioned.
“We tried our level best both in the Assembly and outside to force the state government to act on the missing jewels and large scale irregularities that were taking place in the TT D. But no action was ini t iated. The thick skinned TT D management failed to furnish correct information about missing jewels,’’ he said.
Pointing at the statue of Sri Krishnadevaraya, he said when there was no guarantee for the safety of jewels donated by none other than the great king, what would be the fate of donations offered by common devotees like us. “In the wake of gold dollar, Arjita Seva ticket and other scams, as your MLA and a devout Hindu, I came to you as I have no other go except coming to you for support to get a proper reply from the TTD on missing jewels,” the MLA said.
Fuming at the TTD, he said the officials who were giving red carpet welcome to VVIPs and the rich, were least bothered about common pilgrims. They did nothing when a former TTD Trust Board member developed a temple in his native village with the TT D funds. The increase in political interference had ruined the temple administration, he said.
Reiterating PRP’s firm resolve to cleanse the TTD, Chiranjeevi said he would not rest till all the issues were solved. Later, he took out a Padayatra from the statue to Tirumala to submit a plea to Lord Venkateswara.
—Agencies