The YSRCP accused the TTD of neglecting the animals and said that over 100 cows had died due to poor care. The TDP termed the allegations baseless and politically motivated.
Published Apr 17, 2025 | 6:18 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 17, 2025 | 6:18 PM
TTD former chairman and YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy protesting on the road after the police prevented him from taking out a rally. (X)
Synopsis: Charges and countercharges flew thick and fast in Tirupati over the alleged death of TTD’s cows, sparking tension and forcing the police to intervene.
The alleged death of cows at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board’s Goshala sparked tensions in the temple town of Tirupati with the Opposition TDP and ruling TDP-led NDA trading charges and countercharges on Thursday, 17 April.
Police had to intervene to prevent a direct YSRCP-TDP showdown and ease the tension.
The YSRCP accused the TTD of neglecting the animals and said that over 100 cows had died due to poor care. The TDP termed the allegations baseless and politically motivated.
The Goshala, located near Tirupati, is managed by the TTD, which oversees the Sri Venkateswara Temple and its associated religious and charitable activities. The facility houses cows, making the reported deaths a sensitive issue.
The controversy gained traction after YSRCP leaders alleged mismanagement under the TDP-led NDA government, which assumed power in Andhra Pradesh in June 2024.
Tensions heightened on Thursday when former TTD chairman and YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy attempted to lead a march to the Goshala. Reddy had accepted a challenge from TDP MLAs Pulivarthi Nani, and Bojjala Sudheer Reddy, and TTD member Banu Prakash Reddy, to prove that cows were suffering and had died in large numbers.
However, TDP leaders visited the Goshala earlier in the morning, inspected the facility, and declared to the media that the accusations were false. Asserting that the Goshala was well-maintained, they alleged irregularities in TTD administration during YSRCP’s tenure from 2019 to 2024.
Even as tension mounted, the police intervened to prevent a possible clash. A large posse of police was deployed outside Reddy’s residence in Tirupati. Authorities permitted only Reddy and a limited number of YSRCP leaders to visit the Goshala, urging both parties – YSRCP and NDA – to avoid simultaneous visits.
When Reddy emerged from his residence and tried to lead a large group of party workers in a rally, police blocked them, leading to a scuffle. Reddy and his supporters lay on the road in protest, condemning the police action.
Speaking to reporters, Reddy claimed the TTD itself had admitted deaths of 43 cows in recent months, which he claimed validated his concerns about the Goshala’s mismanagement. He demanded that authorities exhume the carcasses to confirm the extent of the deaths.
YSRCP leaders, including MP Maddila Gurumoorthy, accused the TDP of using police to suppress their protest while daring them to confront the issue at the Goshala. Gurumoorthy managed to reach the facility, where he engaged in a heated argument with TDP leaders before police escorted him away to avert a showdown.
YSRCP supporters chanted anti-TDP and anti-police slogans, alleging that the restrictions imposed on them proved TDP’s fear of being exposed.
The police clarified that Reddy was not under house arrest but remained firm on restricting large rallies to maintain law and order. They advised both parties to address the media after visiting the Goshala separately.
TDP AP president Palla Srinivasa Rao, initially expected to join the NDA leaders at the Goshala, did not attend. Neither he nor the party offered any explanation.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
