Our Special Correspondent
Tirupati: In a significant move that has stirred both administrative circles and public discourse, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has suspended one of its senior officials for allegedly violating the institution’s religious code of conduct by following another faith.
Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) A. Rajasekhar Babu, who hails from Puttur in Tirupati district, has been suspended from duty following preliminary findings that he was regularly attending Christian church services every Sunday in his hometown—an act seen as a direct violation of TTD’s internal norms and regulations.
According to highly placed sources in the TTD administration, the suspension was ordered after the vigilance wing conducted an internal probe and submitted a detailed report substantiating the allegations. The report is said to contain photographic and testimonial evidence confirming the officer’s participation in church prayers, which reportedly continued for a prolonged period.
“This is a blatant violation of the moral and religious expectations from a TTD employee, particularly one holding an executive post in a premier Hindu religious institution,” a top TTD official told this correspondent, on condition of anonymity. “Employees of the TTD are expected to adhere to the spiritual and religious ethos of the organization, especially given that it manages the world-famous Lord Venkateswara temple.”
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, an autonomous religious trust under the Andhra Pradesh government, manages the affairs of the Tirumala temple and several other Hindu temples in the region. Its employees are governed by strict codes of conduct that prohibit proselytizing, promoting or practising non-Hindu faiths while serving in the institution. These rules are not merely symbolic but codified in the TTD’s service regulations to protect the sanctity and religious integrity of the institution.
The decision to suspend Rajasekhar Babu also comes in the wake of growing public scrutiny over the presence of individuals allegedly affiliated with other religious faiths within TTD’s ranks. The issue was recently reignited when Union Minister and BJP national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar, during his visit to Tirumala, criticized the TTD for its alleged inaction against non-Hindu employees. He had openly questioned the silence and inaction of the administration and demanded stringent enforcement of institutional norms to uphold the sanctity of the temple.
While the TTD has neither named the complainants nor divulged detailed evidence at this stage, sources say this action may not be an isolated one. “This is not just about one officer. There have been simmering concerns from devotees and Hindu organizations about the infiltration of individuals with missionary or non-Hindu backgrounds into the administration of India’s holiest Hindu shrine,” said a senior official associated with the temple body.
In recent years, the TTD has taken several steps to reinforce its Hindu identity. These include mandating declaration forms for non-Hindu visitors to Tirumala, initiating religious orientation programs for employees, and issuing guidelines prohibiting propagation of other faiths on the seven hills. Despite such measures, there have been intermittent controversies over alleged religious violations, prompting demands for tighter scrutiny.
The suspension of the AEO is being viewed as a decisive move by the TTD to set an example and send a strong message across its ranks. Departmental proceedings under service rules are expected to follow, and if the charges are proven, the official could face dismissal or other disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, the development has triggered a wider debate about religious neutrality in public employment versus institutional ethos in religious bodies. Legal experts point out that while public sector employees have freedom of religion under the Constitution, institutions like the TTD, being religious trusts with spiritual mandates, may enforce faith-based conditions if explicitly mentioned in their service rules.
As of now, Rajasekhar Babu has not issued a public statement, and it remains to be seen whether he will challenge the suspension through legal or administrative channels.
With the controversy gaining traction, pressure is likely to mount on the TTD to audit the backgrounds of other employees and ensure strict adherence to its religious charter. For now, the temple administration appears keen to reassert its commitment to safeguarding the spiritual purity of Lord Venkateswara’s abode.
