Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board member and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BKP), Bhanu Prakash Reddy has strongly objected to the Karnataka Cabinet’s decision concerning the management of Karnataka Choultry land in Tirumala, demanding that the state government immediately withdraw its decision.
“Every inch of land, every stone and every tree in Tirumala belongs to Lord Venkateswara. This is not the property of any government or individual. He alleged that the Karnataka government, under Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, had now decided to bring the facility entirely under Karnataka Tourism, raising concerns over the proposed use of the premises. “Why should a religious centre be converted into a money-making enterprise and a political rehabilitation centre? “We will not allow even an inch of Tirumala land to be taken away or misused. We are prepared to send a strong notice to the Karnataka government after discussions with TTD officials,” he warned. Bhanu Prakash Reddy also threatened a protest by the BJP if the issue was not resolved, urging the Karnataka government to reconsider its decision and respect the religious significance of Tirumala.
Explaining the background of the land allocation, he said the TTD had allotted 7.5 acres to the Mysore Maharaja, of which 6.5 acres were utilised to construct around 150 rooms and a large Kalyana Mandapam for devotees visiting Tirumala from Karnataka.
It belongs to Lord Balaji and his devotees,” Reddy said. The land belongs to Lord Balaji, and the Karnataka government has no right to treat it as its own property,” he said. He said he would consult TTD officials and seek a formal response from the Karnataka government.
