In a strong political statement, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj, K Pawan Kalyan, has called upon the Chairman, Executive Officer (EO), and Joint EO (JEO) of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to publicly apologise to the devotees for the tragic stampede in Tirupati that claimed six lives.
Addressing a public gathering on Friday, as part of the ‘Palle Panduga and Panchayat Week’ celebrations, Pawan Kalyan demanded that TTD officials hold a press conference and express their regret over the incident. “I have apologised to the devotees for the stampede, even though I had no role in it.”
Why is it that those responsible cannot do the same? If I can apologise to the Hindu devotees for an incident I wasn’t involved in, why should they feel ashamed to do the same? We cannot avoid responsibility for such mistakes. Should I appear before the people as an accused?” he questioned, expressing his frustration with the handling of the situation.
Pawan Kalyan drew a comparison, stating, “Even the Prime Minister of Japan apologised to the people for a mistake he didn’t commit. If I make a mistake, I am ready to face the consequences.”
The political leader also aimed at the VIP culture in Tirumala, demanding that it be reduced and that common devotees should have easier access to the temple. He noted, “The honeymoon period for leaders, including myself, is over. You, the people, trusted me and elected me, and I must live up to that trust.”
He stressed that everyone should take responsibility in the event of a mishap. “While some officials may have made errors in Tirupati, the entire district police force is being blamed and is bearing the brunt of it,” he remarked. Pawan Kalyan expressed his anger over the inefficiency of some officials involved.
In his address, Pawan Kalyan also inaugurated a ‘mini-gokulam’ at the Krishna temple in Kumarapuram village and launched 12,500 ‘gokulams’ set up across the state. He promised to establish an additional 20,000 ‘gokulams’ in the future.
Reaffirming his commitment to his constituency, he declared, “I will visit every village in the Pithapuram constituency and work towards earning national recognition by developing the area. I will begin my district visits from Pithapuram soon.”
Pawan Kalyan also warned eve-teasers of strict action and expressed concern over the growing problem of ganja consumption in Pithapuram. He revealed that reports had come in about eve-teasing incidents at the government junior college, and directed the police to take action against such offenders at bus stands and private colleges.
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