Describing the Tirupati stampede as a clear failure of the government, former MP M. Bharat questioned the lack of basic facilities and proper crowd management. Speaking to the media on Saturday, he likened the chaotic arrangements to herding animals in a yard and criticised the administration for failing to provide even necessities like drinking water to the devotees.
Bharat alleged a lack of coordination between the TTD Executive Officer and the Chairman, stating that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) seems to function more like a political party office rather than a revered religious institution. He demanded accountability for the tragic deaths, noting that such incidents have never occurred during the tenure of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Referring to the Pushkaram tragedy in Rajahmundry during Chandrababu Naidu’s regime, where 29 lives were lost, Bharat blamed Naidu’s publicity-driven approach for the incident. He questioned why proper crowd management arrangements were not made in Tirupati, especially considering that over 1,20,000 tokens were to be issued.
Bharat criticised the TTD for not using online systems for token distribution and called for the resignation of the TTD Board for their negligence. He also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident by a Supreme Court judge, asserting that merely taking action against junior officials would not suffice. Furthermore, he urged the government to dissolve the TTD Board if they failed to take responsibility.
He stressed that Chandrababu Naidu must understand that this is a democracy, not a dictatorship like Hitler’s regime. Describing the Tirupati incident as a “dark day,” he urged the Chief Justice of the High Court to take suo motu cognizance and initiate a thorough investigation to ensure justice for the victims and hold the authorities accountable.
