Tirupati: fourteen priests were among the 140 temple workers tested positive
New Delhi:
People can continue to visit the famous Tirumala Tirupati Balaji temple, said the top official of the temple’s board of directors amid controversy over priests and employees infected with the highly contagious coronavirus. The temple’s board of directors decided to reopen it on June 11, in accordance with the centre’s “Unlock” plans to keep the country out of the pandemic in stages.
There are no plans to arrest the public darshan at Tirumala Tirupati Balaji temple, said YV Subba Reddy, chairman of the board of directors of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). He said there was no evidence that the pilgrims were positive for the coronavirus.
According to the authorities, fourteen priests were among the 140 temple workers who tested positive for COVID-19, which is known to spread more quickly in crowded places, hence the need for social distancing.
Seventy have recovered, said Reddy, adding that most of those infected with coronavirus come from the Andhra Pradesh police who worked with the temple. “Only one of them has severe symptoms,” said the president of the TTD.
“We have no plans to close the Tirumala temple. The main priests will not be commissioned. The priests and staff have requested separate accommodation,” said Reddy, adding that a separate facility for the food of the employees would be put in place.
The honorary chief priest, Ramana Dikshitulu, expressed concern about the positive results of the priests and staff. “@ysjagan 15 of 50 carona + ve archakas in quarantine. Another 25 results awaited. TTD EO and AEO refuse to arrest the darshans. Obediently respecting the hereditary anti-archaka and anti-Brahmin policy of the TDP and the CBN. Please take action, “Ramana Dikshitulu tweeted, marking YS chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.
@ysjagan 15 of the 50 carona + ve archakas quarantined. Another 25 results expected. TTD EO and AEO refuse to arrest the darshans. Obeying the hereditary and anti-Brahmin anti-archaka policy of the TDP and the CBN. Disaster if this continues. Please act.
– Ramana Dikshitulu (@DrDikshitulu) July 16, 2020
Reddy said the honorary chief priest should have given his suggestions to the TTD board instead of posting them on social media.
Ramana Dikshitulu was removed from his post as chief priest of the temple in 2018 after he passed retirement age. He had also alleged the TTD of financial wrongdoing.
Mr. Reddy renamed him honorary chief priest – to serve the temple as an adviser – after his party came to power at the YSR Congress in May 2019.
Coronavirus cases in India have crossed the million mark, recording 34,956 new infections and 687 deaths in the biggest day jump today, according to government data. He put the total number of cases registered since the start of the epidemic in the country at 1,003,832 with 25,602 deaths. More than 6.35 lakh people or 63.34% of the patients recovered.
