Tirupati TTD Trust Board chairman now refutes land sale reports; points at previous govt

Amid furore over proposed sale of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) lands,  Trust Board chairman of TTD, YV Subba Reddy, on Monday doubled back on reports, saying that such decision has been taken yet.

TTD Board h purportedly earlier decided to auction 50 immovable properties in Andhra Presh and Tamil Nu, worth Rs 23.92 crore, through a public auction, including 23 properties in Tamil Nu, 26 properties in Andhra Presh and one parcel of land in Rishikesh. 

Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, " reports about sale of TTD lands are all politically motivated. actual decision was taken by earlier board and state government in 2014-2019. y h decided that small pieces of TTD land in vills, which are in remote areas, especially properties in TN vills, should be disposed of. This decision was taken as TTD is t in a position to take care of those properties."

He furr ded that present TTD board has only reviewed earlier decision and till w decision has been taken to sell  properties. "We have just reviewed decision and asked officials if y can t protect se properties. y have been asked to review properties and submit a report," he said.

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Meanwhile, in view of controversy, Andhra Presh government issued an order to TTD Board and directed m to re-examine  issue in consultation with different stakeholders. According to order,  proposed disposal of 50 properties by TTD will be kept in abeyance till finalization of matter. 

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Backlash from various quarters

decision to auction immovable properties received heavy backlash from various quarters, against TTD Board and state government. BJP leer Duggabati Purandeswari, co-in charge of Karnataka BJP has condemned sale of TTD lands, saying y were donated by devotees out of reverence to Lord Tirumala Venkateswara. He furr ded that TTD was only a custodian of se lands. 

Meanwhile, according to a TTD release, practice of selling immovable, n-maintainable, and t useful properties has been in place since 1974. Between 1974-2014, about 129 such immovable properties, which were t useful to TTD activities, were disposed of in public auctions, it furr said. 

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(With ANI Inputs)