NEW DELHI: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has taken aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing the newly appointed chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for advocating a Hindu-only staff policy at the Tirumala temple.
Owaisi’s remarks come in the wake of B.R. Naidu’s statement on October 31, asserting that all staff at the temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, should be Hindus.
In a post on X late Friday, Owaisi highlighted the contradiction between this policy and the NDA government’s push to include non-Muslims on Waqf Boards and Councils. He stated, “Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ chairman says that only Hindus should work in Tirumala. But Modi govt wants to make it mandatory for there to be non-Muslims in Waqf Boards & Waqf Council. Most Hindu Endowment laws insist that only Hindus should be its members. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander, no?”
Naidu further indicated plans to consult the Andhra Pradesh government regarding the status of employees from other religions, considering options such as reassignment to different government departments or voluntary retirement schemes (VRS). Owaisi’s comments underscore ongoing debates surrounding religious representation and policy in India.