Swamy Paripoornananda leads protest against evangelical activities in TTD institutions
Swamy Paripoornananda, who has embarked on a protest programme to exert pressure on TTD and the government to check evangelical activities at Tirumala and in the TTD institutions, held a dharna on Saturday in front of the TTD’s administrative building along with other like-minded swamijis and local functionaries of the Bharatiya Janatha Party and its frontal organisations.
Protests by the Swamijis come in the wake of an episode allegedly involving some lower level employees of the TTD’s health wing indulging in evangelical practices in their TTD staff quarters at Tirumala recently.
Even as Paripoornananda and others sat on their dharna at a make-shift tent, a number of activists belonging to other organisations raised slogans against the ‘religious outrage’ and waved party flags and banners.
The Swamy demanded that the TTD not only take all steps to curb missionary activities at Tirumala and in TTD institutions but also ensure that non-Hindus are not employed in the organisation and that those already employed be repatriated to government.
Support from others
The stir by the swamijis has received support from the Hindu Devalayala Parirakshana Samithi headed by Kamalanandaswamy, Tirumala-Tirupati Samrakshana Samithi led by D.R. Narendra and Aadi Hindu Parirakshana Samithi founded by Kalluri Chengaiah.
They expressed solidarity with Swaroopananda, who is expected to take a ‘padayatra’ through the main streets of Tirupati on Sunday to intensify his stir.
Kalluri Chengaiah, who felicitated the swamijis has in a representation demanded that the 150-odd non-Hindus working in the TTD be replaced and that TTD employees who refuse to sport ‘thirunamam’ on their foreheads too be suitably dealt with.
Keywords: evangelical activities, TTD institutions
But Anand should know that the Church will not give employment to a Hindu, that is against the principle of the Catholic church. To ask for employing Christians in a Hindu religious place is too much, it is like appointing the "Swamy" as pontiff of Vatican. If you agree with this please request your Bihsops to employ Hindus in your churches
The law states you cannot discriminate against a religion. One can fire an employee for flouting the rules but to simply dismiss them or move them to another department because they belong to another faith is illegal. Its a pity that a "Swami" lacks knowledge of the law!
If in a company, an employee is found working against the interests of that company (and instead for some other company), it is termed "conflict of interest". In this case also, it is not the issue of religious discrimination or religious freedom. It is definitely not wrong to have non-Hindus working in temples. But it is wrong to let them work against the religion. The problem with missionaries is that they spread half-truths about other religions. Everyone should instead practice their religion and let others practice what they believe in.
Hello Friends
I totally agree with the Swamijis demands that only Hindus should be employed in TTD, every penny paid to the employees as salary is donated given by a True Hindu devotee and my opinion is that even in Endowments department only Hindu should be employed.
One cannot denied the fact that this is the Pavitrabhoomi of Hindu Dharama and it has prevailed since unknown time.Our Country and Constitution has adopted Secularism after Independence with a good intention of providing religious freedom to minorities. Time has come that the policy makers understand the gravity of ground situation, resolve of patience has been tested for too long.
Partition of the country was done in name of religion, minorities population there has fallen to 2% and freedom of Religion and Speech given by the constitution does not mean that the country's very own identity and tradition be lost in the name secularism.
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