Christian moves in Tirupati-Tirumala

The  NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
carried 3 articles on July, 14, 15 and 16 under the title “Tirumala
Hills under siege”. The findings of a five-member fact finding
committee headed by Justice B.Bikshapathy, retired judge, Andhra
Pradesh High Court are presented  in the  articles. The Committee was constituted by the Udipi Pejavar Mutt seer Vishweshwara Teetrtha.   Given  below are the findings of the Committee in brief  culled out from the articles for the benefit of those who have not read them.

v     When the candidates appearing for EAMCET at various centers in Tirupati were returning home, members of the Christian community distributed religious pamphlets and copies of the Bible.  Some student organisations protested against these activiries and police had to intervene.

v     On
April, 19, Balaraju, travelled in a bus downhill from Tirumala. They
distributed pamphlets to pilgrims in the bus. A passenger lodged a
complaint with Sivananda Kishore, Assistant Vigilence and Security
Officer on this. A complaint was registered against the pastor and his
friend.

(Under Rule 198 of the
AP Hindu Religious and Endowment Act 1987, any activity pertaining to
any religion other than Hindu religion are prohibited in Tirumala).

v     On April 26, two Christian
women belonging to Chilakaluripet were caught when distributing
religious pamphlets in the TTD queue complex. The vigilence personnel
produced them before the DSP, Tirumal. But they were soon released.  TTD Joint Executive Officer Dharma Reddy (a Christian)
justified the action saying that the women came from an oldage home to
get Prasadam for distributing to inmates suffering from AIDS. The
Committee noted in this connection: “No name of the old age home was
disclosed”. Interestingly, the women did not disclose that they were
Christians and that they enterd the queue without signing the requisite
declaration and obtaining permission of the official concerned.

v     Though
only Hindus have to be appointed as employees in the TTD, the Executive
Officer admitted that this was not being followed. Muslim personnel
have been employed in the TTD and the EO confirmed that steps are being
taken to shift them gradually.

v     There
are about 40 Chrstian families residing in Tirumala and they are
holding religious congregation in their houses on Sundays.

v     Other illegal activities that came to the notice of the Panel  included: sale and consumption of liquor nad meat, gambling,  flesh trade etc.; cow slaughter at Tirupati;  use of TTD Kalyana Mantapam at Nagalapuram by Christians for their prayer congregations and performance of Christian marriages.

v     Veena
Noble Das , Vice-Chancellor, Sri Padmavati Women’s University
encouraging Christianity on the Campus. The Panel observed that the
photos of Lord Venkateswara and Godess Padmavati had been removed from
all institutions.  Students were being sent in
the University buses to the Church. A more or less similar situation
was noticed by the Committee in respect of SV University.

v     Non-Hindu students being allowed to have Darshan, Muslim hawkers are carrying on trade in Tirumala.  Over 50 Christian Nepali shopkeepers  and 40 Muslims  are  carrying on business on the hill.

v     The SI who booked a case against Missionaries of Charity sisters for indulging in missionary activities had to receive a show-cause notice of AP State Women’s Commission.

v     In TTD funded educational institutions  students are being encouraged to go to Church.

v     The Seven Hills have been opened to the Tourism Department which would        destry the “sanctity serenity and spirituality of the Sevemn Hills and will severely  hurt the feelings if Hindus throughout the country and the world.

v     Tourism
department is planning to establish multiplexes,food courts and other
entertainment and recreational spots on Tirumala. To facilitatte this
it is proposed to restrict the area of TTD to two hills covering an
ares 27.5 sq.kms.(The AP High court in 1997 contended that all the
Seven Hills vests with Lord Venkateswara right from the foot-hills on
all sides.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These are disturbing facts. The Hindus have to fight every step to protect their  traditions, practices,temples  in their own  land. What a shameful situation. If you are convinced that we have to react to this religious aggression, e-mail this to  your friends to creat awareness.