Pawan Wants TTD Top Brass to Own Responsibility for Tirupati Stampede

Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan reacted severely to the Tirupati stampede, asking Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams executive officer J. Shyamala Rao, additional EO Venkaiah Chowdary, devasthanam chairman and the trust board to own up responsibility for the tragic death of six devotees and injuries to several others. Though we cannot bring their lives back, we must be concerned about the kind of pain and grief their families are undergoing.” Pawan Kalyan said, “We, as a government, take the responsibility for what has happened. I will ask Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to send TTD members and police to visit the families of those who have lost their lives and also injured to tender an apology and to instil confidence in them about the government.” Referring to the recent observation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar that VIP culture in temples must go and importance given to the ordinary devotees in darshan, the Deputy Chief Minister called upon TTD to give up its VIP-centric culture and give priority to common devotees. Pawan Kalyan alleged deliberate conspiracy to tarnish the image of both the TTD and the state government by causing such tragic incidents.