YSRCP chief Jagan says he doesn’t know details of TTD action against non-Hindu staff issue

YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday refused to comment on the TTD's decision to initiate disciplinary action against 18 employees for allegedly participating in non-Hindu activities, stating that he was unaware of the details of the issue.

During a press conference, Jagan, in response to a query, said he could not answer such questions offhand. "I do not know the details of these topics. I don’t know which department they work in or where they are employed. I do not know where these numbers are coming from," he told reporters.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams recently issued an official memo barring 18 employees from participating in all religious and spiritual activities of the temple body as part of disciplinary action for allegedly engaging in non-Hindu activities.

He further stated that the TTD is not limited to just one temple but comprises multiple organisations and institutions, making it unclear where these employees work or how they were recruited. Responding to a query about a YSRCP Rajya Sabha member quitting the party, he said that character is important in politics and that one should not succumb to pressure or temptations.

"Problems do not last forever. Democracy means (a term of) only five years. The maximum period of difficulty would be five years. If you can hold on, your time will come, and you must always have patience. One should have the character and credibility within ourselves to stand up... Whether it is Sai Reddy (former Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy) or the three others who have left," he said.

This was Jagan’s first reaction after Vijayasai Reddy resigned from his Rajya Sabha membership while the former chief minister was out of the country. As many as four Rajya Sabha members, including Jagan’s trusted lieutenant, Vijayasai Reddy, left the party after it was routed in the Assembly elections last year.