Gopurams of Tirumala Venkateswara TempleSeeking to end the controversy over a Christian MLA being appointed to the board of the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam, the Chandrababu Naidu-led state government today (27 April) decided to drop her from the post, reports The Hindu. Anitha, the MLA in question was appointed on 20 April.
Anitha courted controversy when a video surfaced of her claiming that she was a devout Christian and that she always carried a bible around with her.
I always have a Bible in my bag and in my car. I don’t move out without the Bible in hand.Anitha
The video went viral on social media, following which opposition parties demanded that Naidu sack her. However, on Sunday (22 April), she wrote to Naidu herself asking to be dropped as she didn’t want to cause embarrassment to the government and also claimed that she was a Hindu belonging to a Scheduled Caste.
Her removal from the post is in accordance with Section 96 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act of 1987.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.