Y.V. Subba Reddy, the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) said as many as 140 TTD staff tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19.
During a press conference on the 16th of July, Mr. Reddy said, the positive cases include priests, laddu making staff, TTD employees and security personnel.
Speaking specifically, as many as 14 priests are COVID-19 positive.
The press conference was conducted after Y.V. Raman Dixit took to Twitter and posted, “@ysjagan 15 out of 50 archakas carona +ve quarantined. Still 25 results awaited. TTD EO and AEO refuse to stop darshans. Obediently following anti hereditary archaka and anti brahmin policy of TDP and CBN. Disaster if this continues. Please take action.”
Y.V. Subba Reddy also criticised Raman Dixit of announcing the positive COVID-19 cases of the TTD on social media instead of discussing with the TTD Board.
Subba Reddy said that the honorary priest should not have made such a comment on social media, and should have instead approached the TTD board with his advice.
Subba Reddy said, “Most of the staff who tested positive are among the police. The reason was that they came for duty from other districts, and they all stay in the same place,” he said. He also said that out of the 140 staff members, around 70 people have already recovered and are either under home quarantine or have returned to duty, while the remaining 70 people are under treatment. Only one employee is in a critical state, and the rest are all free of any health complications.”
He further added, “We met with them to discuss if there is any danger. We told them that we don’t mind suspending darshan, it’s important that they (archakas) are in good health and services to the deity must continue. They (archakas) said that they only want individual accommodation and dining facilities, and they are not concerned with decisions about darshan and devotees.
The TTD Chairman also said despite 140 TTD staff being infected of the virus, so far, not a single pilgrim has either contracted COVID-19 or has infected anyone on visiting the temple.
This happened days after the representatives of the TTD staff and workers’ union had written to TTD authorities requesting them to temporarily close the temple for darshan, in view of rising COVID-19 cases in Tirupati and the rest of India.
After the nationwide lockdown, the TTD started functioning for pilgrims and devotees from the 11th of June.
Stay tuned for further updates.
