Tirupati: BJP seeks judicial probe into assets of Hathiramji Mutt

Tirupati: A delegation of BJP leaders led by district president S Dayakar Reddy met Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan here on Tuesday and sought him to appoint a committee headed by a retired or sitting High Court Judge to enquire into the assets of Hathiramji Mutt and also appoint TTD Executive Officer as its Custodian for better administration of the Mutt.

In the representation to the Governor, the saffron party leaders said that a probe by the committee including senior officials, priests and eminent personalities is a must to go into mismanagement and misappropriation of Mutt's properties, especially lands worth several thousand crores.

BJP leaders said that those involved in the illegal grabbing of the Mutt's lands are political leaders including those from the ruling party. The government's move to appoint an Endowment official as the Custodian of the Mutt after sacking Mahanth Arjun Das is nothing but an attempt to regularise the unauthorised sale of lands and also the land under encroachment, they alleged.

Further, they said the government control on Hindu religious and charitable institutions like Hathiramji Mutt not desirable as it open the flood gates to political interference.

BJP state secretaries G Bhanu Prakash Reddy, S Srinivas, former president B Chandra Reddy, State Core committee member K Shanta Reddy were present.

Meanwhile, a delegation of VHP led by its divisional secre ary K Subbana also submitted a memorandum to Governor seeking to appoint TTD EO as Custodian of Hathiramji Mutt.