A senior official working with the famous Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has been suspended after it was found that he regularly attended church prayers. The official, A Rajasekhar Babu, served as Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) and was suspended with immediate effect.
TTD is the temple board that manages the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, one of the holiest Hindu shrines in India. The temple board said Rajasekhar Babu violated their code of conduct, which does not allow employees to take part in non-Hindu religious activities.
In a statement, the TTD said, “It has come to our notice that Sri Rajasekhar Babu attends church prayers every Sunday in his hometown, Puttur, in Tirupati district.”
They also claimed he was involved in promoting Christianity, which goes against the rules of the Hindu religious body.
Dr. Ravi Kumar, the Chief Public Relations Officer of TTD, said, “As an employee of a Hindu religious trust, it is expected that he follows the code of conduct. Attending church and promoting another religion is irresponsible behaviour.”
The temple board said that action was taken after the TTD Vigilance Department submitted a report with video proof. A clip showing Rajasekhar Babu inside a church offering prayers has gone viral.
This is not the first time such action has been taken. In the past, the temple board transferred 18 other employees, including teachers and nurses, for similar reasons.
