Will establish trust to collect funds for building Venkateswara temples in villages: Chandrababu Naidu

The Chief Minister noted that this endeavour is aimed at building the deity's temples in villages that lack them. "Several villages in the State still lack Venkateswara Swamy temples and to collect funds to construct temples in those villages we will establish a trust," said Naidu

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that a trust will be established to collect donations for constructing Lord Venkateswara Swamy temples in villages.

The Chief Minister noted that this endeavour is aimed at building the deity’s temples in villages that lack them. “Several villages in the State still lack Venkateswara Swamy temples and to collect funds to construct temples in those villages we will establish a trust,” said Naidu, addressing a press conference.

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According to Naidu, former CM of United Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao (NTR) had started the free food scheme (annadanam) to devotees and he started SV Pranadana Trust, which offers free medical treatment to poor patients.

The TDP supremo underscored that the corpus fund of Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust has reached Rs 2,200 crore through donations. In addition to these two initiatives, he said the temples’ construction initiative will emerge as the third one, promising to expand the donations carefully.

If anybody dares to encroach on the properties of the deity, the CM said, he will ensure that those assets are returned to the Almighty. Calling the seven hills in Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara Swamy, holy, Naidu said nobody should desecrate them or use them commercially.

He observed that over 35 acres of land allotted to three hotels – Devalok, Mumtaz and MRKR – in Tirupati are being annulled, pointing out that nobody should conduct business in the seven hills.

Appealing to the employees of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, Naidu called on them to walk the extra mile to protect the deity’s sanctity.

Vowing to safeguard Lord Venkateswara Swamy’s assets in the country and across the world, the CM declared that people working in TTD should be Hindus, adding that non-Hindus will be respectfully given opportunities elsewhere.

“People from other religions will not be there in the worship places of Christians and Muslims. Religious places of a particular religion will only have people belonging to that particular religion,” asserted Naidu. He highlighted that the government has resolved to build Lord Venkateswara Swamy temples in all State capitals and as part of this effort, letters will be written to all the Chief Ministers.

Moreover, the NDA ally said that Lord Venkateswara Swamy temples will be built overseas where Hindus are in large numbers. Earlier on Friday, Naidu visited Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple and offered prayers.

Naidu had darshan along with his family through Vaikunta Queue Complex-1 at 8.20 am. “CM Chandrababu had the darshan (visit to the deity) of Srivaru (Lord Venkateswara Swamy) accompanied by family members. At Ranganayakamma Mandapam, Vedic priests bestowed blessings on the CM,” said a press release. Following the darshan, Naidu and his family members served prasad (consecrated food) to devotees at Tarigonda Vengamamba, the release added.