PNS|Vijayawada
Religious leaders and spiritual figures voiced strong criticism against the ruling coalition government during a conference held at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Labbipet, Vijayawada. Organised by the Saadhu Parishad, the event focused on “The Significance of Hindu Dharma and the Sacredness of the Cow”.
Saadhu Parishad president Swami Srinivasananda Saraswati expressed serious concern over the repeated deaths of cows at the Tirumala Gosala, calling it a disgrace for a globally revered pilgrimage centre. He cited reports of nearly 15 cow deaths each month and demanded transparency from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) regarding the number of cows in their care and their health status.
He further criticised TTD for failing to perform traditional rituals such as “Shanti Homams” following cow deaths. Questioning the use of crores donated by devotees for cow welfare, he called for a central probe by an independent agency to reveal the truth and restore public confidence. Swami Srinivasananda warned that if sacred cows cannot be protected in Tirumala, the temple’s sanctity itself would come under question.
Former MLA Malladi Vishnu accused the state government of neglecting Hindu traditions and highlighted the administrative failures in managing the Gosala, where he claimed hundreds of cows have died in under a year. He also criticised Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for remaining silent over the demolition of temple properties by forest officials.
Other speakers, including Swami Omkarananda, alleged that the Tirumala temple has become overly commercialised under the current regime. They expressed disappointment over the lack of response from BJP leaders, despite their participation in the ruling coalition.
The conference concluded with a call for stronger measures to protect cows and a demand for TTD to establish cow shelters in every district to uphold and promote Hindu values.
