Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Sep 9 (IANS) The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) will decide next week on whether to reject the Rs.45 crore diamond-studded crown offered to Sri Venkateshwara temple by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, who is now in a jail in Andhra Pradesh.

TTD board member R. Suryaprakash Rao told reporters that if the Income Tax department has knowledge of the offering made in 2009, the TTD would accept the same.

“However, if the department has no information about Vajra Kireetam (diamond-studded crown), the TTD board will take a decision after discussions,” he said.

The TTD, which manages the affairs of one of India’s richest temples, will discuss the issue at its meeting next week.

A section of devotees, including some legislators of both ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam party (TDP), are demanding that the TTD return the crown to the mining baron, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday in an illegal mining case.

Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), owned by the former state minister, is allegedly involved in illegal mining in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

It was in June 2009 that Janardhana Reddy and his brother G. Karunakara Reddy, both ministers in then Karnataka cabinet, offered the crown to the temple.

However, the temple authorities have not adorned the deity with the crown reportedly due to mismatch of the size.

In May this year, the Reddy brothers donated a diamond-studded crown and golden clothes estimated to be worth Rs.15 crore to Srikalahasti temple, also in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

Some devotees of this temple too are demanding that the temple authorities return the offering to the tainted former ministers.