The move comes just months after the TTD Board formally adopted a policy barring non-Hindu employees from working at any of its temples with a resolution on 24 March at the suggestion of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Published Jul 08, 2025 | 8:47 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 08, 2025 | 8:47 PM
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam
Synopsis: The TTD has suspended its Assistant Executive Officer, A Rajasekhar Babu, for regularly attending church services, calling it a breach of the board’s code of conduct. The suspension comes months after the board formally adopted a policy barring non-Hindus from temple roles, at the behest of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has suspended its Assistant Executive Officer A Rajasekhar Babu for violating its “code of conduct” following allegations that he regularly attended church prayers every Sunday in his hometown.
“It has come to the notice of TTD that Sri Rajasekhar Babu attends local church prayers every Sunday in his hometown Puttur in Tirupati district,” the temple board said in a statement issued on Tuesday, 8 July.
“It is nothing but violation [of] TTD norms as he has not followed the code of conduct of the TTD as an employee of the organisation, and has acted irresponsibly as an employee representing a Hindu religious organisation.”
It continued:
“After examining the report submitted by the TTD Vigilance Department and other evidence, departmental action was initiated against him as per the rules and he was suspended with immediate effect.”
The move comes months after the TTD Board formally adopted a policy barring non-Hindu employees from working at any of its temples with a resolution on 24 March at the suggestion of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
“Just as non-Christians or non-Muslims are not present in their respective places of worship, Tirumala should not have non-Hindu employees,” Naidu had said during his interaction with the media. “We are committed to safeguarding the properties of Lord Venkateswara across the country and the world.”
The Chief Minister had also stated that non-Hindu staff currently working in TTD temples would be transferred to other departments, asserting that “the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine must be upheld at all costs.”
The chief minister said that over the past five years, he and his party, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), have fought tirelessly to safeguard Tirumala’s sanctity.
“After assuming power, we vowed to restore the purity and sanctity of the Venkateswara Swamy Temple. We have cancelled 35.32 acres of land previously allotted to Devalok, Mumtaz, and MRKR hotels near the hills. No commercial activity or actions that undermine the sanctity of the seven hills will not be allowed,” he added.
