Seers urge government to take steps for protection of temple lands in all districts of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Sadhu Parishad president urges government to protect temple lands and appoint Hindu employees in temples.

Andhra Pradesh Sadhu Parishad president and head of Anandasramam, Swami Srinivasananda Saraswati, on Sunday, asked the government to take steps for the protection of temple lands in all districts of Andhra Pradesh, and take action against land grabbers immediately.

Speaking at the Hindu Dharmika Sammelanam organised in Krishnapuram village of Ponduru mandal in Srikakulam district, he claimed that over 50,000 acres of temple lands were grabbed in the State, alleging that the Endowments Department failed to take steps for their protection.

Mr. Srinivasananda also asked the government to ensure the appointment of exclusively followers of Hinduism as employees and officials in all temples across the State. He further asked the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to construct Lord Venkateswara Swamy temples in colonies of Scheduled Castes and Tribes to prevent ‘religious conversions’ in the State.

Sadhu Parishad honorary president Atluri Narayana Rao coordinated arrangements for the religious conclave in which several devotees of the North Andhra region participated.

Ahobilam’s Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamy, Telangana Sadhu Parishad President Sankargiri Swamy, Paramatmananda Swamy of Chinmaya Mission, Srikakulam, and Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samithi president Darsanapu Srinivas also spoke.