Tirupati: Opposition parties oppose TTD move to sell its immovable properties

Tirupati: The TTD's move to sell its immovable properties located in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh turned into a major controversy with the opposition parties and Hindu organisations stoutly opposing it on the ground that it would hurt the sentiments of the devotees. The parties TDP, BJP, CPM and Congress urged TTD to stop the sale of the lands,

TDP district general secretary and former TUDA chairman G Narasimha Yadav speaking to media persons here on Sunday disagreed with the TTD's view that it is selling only those unviable properties. The TTD should find out ways to make them viable instead of selling them, he said.

Though in the past during TDP regime in 2015, TTD had planned to sell the properties, the move was dropped later due to rethinking, he said. BJP district president (Tirupati) Dayakar along with BJYM state president Ramesh Naidu also opposed the TTD's decision to sell the lands donated by devotees to Lord Venkateswara.

CPM senior leader and CITU district general secretary K Murali also urged the TTD to stop the sale of its lands respecting the sentiments of devotees. TTD Staff and Workers Front also opposed sale of TTD lands. Front leaders M Nagarjuna and G Venkatesam requested the TTD to take steps to develop the properties.

Tirumala Tirupati Parirakshan Samithi (TTPS) Tirupati division president DR Srihari also demanded TTD stop sale of immovable properties as it would hurt the sentiments of the devotees. It may be noted that TTD is all set for auctioning of 50 immovable properties including 17 in Rural AP, 9 in Urban AP and 23 in rural TN and the move triggered the controversy.

Meanwhile, TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy defending TTD move said that the practice of selling immovable, non-maintainable and not useful properties is in vogue since 1974.

He appealed to the devotees not to be carried away by the false propaganda. TTD trust board Ex-officio member and TUDA chairman Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy also defended TTD move to sale its properties and criticised those trying to politicise the issue to derive mileage.