BJP and Jana Sena Party (JSP) leaders on Tuesday went on a fast demanding total halt to any attempt to sell or use lands of TTD or any endowment land for other purposes and not merely putting it on hold.
MLC P.V.N. Madhav alleged that the State government was reckless in dealing with temple lands and not protecting their sanctity. Earlier the government had asked the District Collectors to identify endowment land for house sites and also tried to lease it out for commercial purposes, he said. Former MP K. Haribabu and former MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju were among those who participated.
While the Endowments Department was semi- autonomous, the State government had created ‘Joint Collector Three’ post by GO No.39 and made endowments as subject number nine in a bid to convert endowment land to government lands, Mr. Madhav said. It was also reorganising trust boards at its will, he said. He pointed out that unauthorised constructions were coming up on Simhachalam temple lands and demanded that lands of the TTD as well as other devasthanams be fully protected.
Mr. Raju said the value of the TTD land was much higher than the market value of ₹1.5 crore. Devotees were apprehensive about the government disposing of endowment lands worth thousands of crores to fund the government's ‘Navaratnalu’ schemes, he said. The auction was only put on hold but any future attempt on TTD or Simhachalam lands would be jointly opposed by the BJP and the JSP, Mr. Raju said. Mr. Haribabu said the government was particularly targeting endowment properties.
BJP district president M. Ravindra, State secretary Kasi Viswanadha Raju and JSP leader Sundarapu Vijay Kumar and other leaders participated.
