Tirumala Hill controversy

[Guest guest]

Namaste friends,>> It is high time we take some measures to counter heinous> activities going on in Tirumala Hills. Sri Venkateshwara temple issacred to all Vaishnavas. We must remember that Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah (Dharma

> protects its protectors).... Vijaya Karnataka and Indian express> is informing people about the atrocities going on at Tirumala.Please see the report below....>> RBM

> Harassement and Torture by TTD Vigilance and Officials>> *REPORT OF SRI OM PRAKASH AGARWAL TO THE SUDHARSHAN TV*>> [ The following is a report of Sr Om Prakash Agarwal, Southern

Coordinator of Sudharshan TV, sent to the authorities of the Sudharshan TV,regarding the harassement and torture by TTD Vigilance and Officials meted outto him and a Hindu social worker who went to Tirupati-Tirumalai to investigate

> about the Christian conversion and propaganda activities in the areas> belonging to the most ancient Hindu temple where preaching andpractice of> any other religion is banned by law. The Christian employees in the

service> of Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam, emboldened by the clandestinesupport of> the Andhra Government headed by a Christian Chief Minister, had theguts to> lay their hands on a Hindu media person and subject him to inhuman

torture.> The video cassttes seized from him have not been returned to himthough he> was let off. The Udupi Pejawar Mutt Peedaatheeswar, Sri VishwesaTeertha,> had appointed a fact finding committee consisting of a retired High

Court> Judge, a retired Director General of Police of Andhra and a retired> Vice-Chancellor had come out earlier with startling revelations ofChristian> activities in Tirumala Tirupath and sadhus and sants headed by the Udupi

> Peedaatheeswar had also demonstrated in front of the TTD Office andheld a> massive conference in Tirupathi to protest against the Christianactivities.> The media persons went there to find for themselves the true story

and the> man-handling of the media persons amounts to violation of pressrights as> well as human rights. The awakened Hindus, Hindu leaders andreligous heads> must strongly condemn this high-handedness, demand an enquiry and

punishment> of the guilty.The video discs seized from the reporter should also be> returned to him. We appeal to Hindu leaders and religious heads totake up> this matter with all seriousness.--Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan]

>>> Respected Sir,>> I would like to bring to your kind notice that, I,> Omprakash Agarwal, working as a Reporter and South India Co-ordinator in> your Esteemed Channel was Harassed and Tortured by TTD officials on 30th

> July to 1st August 2006.>> Sir, I went to Tirupathi after consultation with Senior Executives and> your goodself to cover a program on Christian Religious Propoganda in> Tirupathi-Tirumala for our Channel based on reports from various leading

> dailies of South India (ie. Vijay Karnataka, Samyukata Karnataka, Indian> Express and many more print and electornic media). I also took tipsfrom the> Report of the " Fact Finding Committe " deputed by Pejawar Math Swami Sri

> Vishweshwar Thirtha Swamiji to probe into the affairs.>> Sir, As you are aware I went to Tirupathi on 29th to Cover theEpisode, I> made some coverage in local Tirupathi area on 29th and on 30th

Morning, I> went to Tirumala Hills to cover the program with a local escort by name> Damodaran aged 20-22 Years, who was familiar with local language andplace.> Damodaran had arranged a vehicle to take me to Tirumala. We first

went to> the Foothills known as Alipiri around 10:45 A.M (30th July), We reached> Tirumala around 12:20 P.M and I got down near Krishna-Arjun park at the> entrance of Tirumala to take few shots of some shops selling Cross

and other> items. Based on information received, I left for Papavinasham wherethere> were reports of conversions taking place. We searched all the place in> Papavinasham but could not gather any information, later we left for

a place> called as Balaji Nagar on the outskirsts of Tirumala. We enquired from> various sources on the route to Balaji Nagar, as it was in news for> propogation and other religious activities. At around 3 P.M, we entered> Balaji Nagar searching for houses conducting Sunday prayers, BalajiNagar is> a very large Residential area which houses to about 1,000 - 2000,but almost> after1 hour search we could not trace anything, We continued our

search and> finally around 4: 15 P.M, we came across a few houses where Crossmarks were> put outside the houses. We immediatley stopped our vehicle and Itook video> shots of 2-3 houses. After taking shots we went futher to enquire if

there> were any Christian families in the locality. The residents denied saying> that there were no one there, When we were just talking to theladies, two> people came to us and enquired who we were. I said I am a reporter

and he> is my escort from Tirupathi. They did not believe us. They allegedthat we> only painted the cross and were shooting, They caught hold of us andwithin> fraction of second over 60 people had gathered at the venue and

harmed us> physically. They took away our belongings containing our Handycam,Mini Dvs,> Mike set, Channel (ID) Logo, & Bag containing clothes and cash.After a few> moments The Vigilance department Officials of TTD arrived, They too

harmed> us and snatched away our mobile phone and took into custody all our> belongings. Later they took us to the Vigilance Office led by NAGUREDDY (> V.C.O) in Tirumala and beat me and my escort Damodaran. After

sometime we> were taken to Joint Executive Officer Shri Dharma Reddy, there alsowe were> beaten with sticks and were booted by this Nagu Reddy (Vigilanceofficer),> his assistants (Murthy and others) and Dharma Reddy. Later they

began to see> our Video footage which we had covered. We had taken a few shots ofshops in> Tirumala selling Cross items. The Vigilance Officer asked me toaccompany to> pin point the shop where it was sold. They took me in a high secuity

vehicle> as a criminal to the shop. I pin pointed the shop from where Crosswas sold.> The shop keeper was bought to the Vigilance office and he was madeto say by> the Executive officer and Vigilance officer that it was I who gave

him to> cross to sell it. That shop keeper too was threatened to tell liesas he too> was at their mercy. We were shocked seeing this behaviour of theofficials> who were all there to fabricate cases against us for shooting this in

> Tirumala. I protested and pleaded to the executive officer to showthe Tape> once again so that I could explain him. I pinpointed that all theproducts> in the shop keepers premises had same company brand packing. Rather than

> accepting the mistake, he immediately asked his men to delete thisportion> of shots from the Video Dv's. The Torture continued till late nightand they> were forcing us to confess that we belonged to some organisaition or

have> been sent by some agent to blaspheme Tirupathi-Tirumala. VigilanceOfficer> had gone to the extent of threathening us with a loaded PISTOL toconfess,> otherwise he would get us killed in an ecounter declaring us as ISI

Agents,> Terrorists, or Naxalites. But by the grace of God and interventionby the> Sub-ordinates, it did not work out. Before that they had invited all the> Media persons both from the print and electronic media at the vigilance

> office and paraded us, and gave a one sided press note to them without> allowing us to speak with the media men.>> At around 2:00 A.M on 31st morning, we were sent to II Town PoliceStation

> in Tirumala. The Sub Inspector interrogated us and we apprised himabout all> the events which took place and placed all the facts before him. After> giving our statement, he provided us some place to sleep and said he

will> come back in the morning. On 31st Morning at 8:00 A.M, DSP of Tirumala> Shri. Satyanarayana had come to the station to interrogate us, he> interrogated for around 1/2 an hour and left the place. Again around

1:30> P.M, we were shifted to DSP Office and there we were interrogated by the> Superitendent of Police Shri Gopal Krishna. We put all facts beforehim. He> was convinced by it and he openly expressed in the presence of other

> officials that we were INNOCENT. Later he made arrangements forLunch for> both of us. Later in the evening the Police Officials had a meetingwith> the TTD officials and there they had decided to release us. At

Around 9 P.M,> the Police Department arranged for a VIP Darshan at the temple and they> later asked us to write a statement at the Tirumala II Town PoliceStation.> Two Sub-Inspectors took our statements and after completing, we were

> requested to leave the place. The S I said it was already 12: 00 A.M and> it was not safe to leave at that time. He said that we could leavein the> morning.>> We were forced to spend one more night in Police Station and we

anxiously> waited for the dawn. Next day morning the Sub Inspector arrived around> 7 A.M(1st August 2006) and we asked his permission to leave. He said> he would> consult the Supdt of Police and only after that we could leave the

place.>> When the S I spoke to S P, he refused stating that " there ispressure from> Higher officials not to let you, as we need to interrogate both ofthem " . It> was frustrating moments for us, in the meanwhile our friends from other

> media on hearing our news had come all the way from Bangalore to bail us> out. My escort was taken to SP office in Tirupathi and there he was> interrogated by the Crime Police. That went on upto 7 in the

evening. At> around 9 P.M the S.I said that I could leave for Bangalore. I was bought> down by a constable who escorted me upto Tirupathi.>> The SI asked us to leave for Bangalore, he also sent his constable along

> with us to Bangalore. Next morning we reached our house and theconstable> accompained me till my house, He left after he took an undertakingfrom my> mother stating that I have reached Bangalore safely.

>> Sir, I did not understand why there was a conspiracy to fabricate us in> false cases. Is it just because we had collected some informationand video> shots of some incidents in Tirumala which are already popular with other

> Media.>> I will not be surprised, if they may cook and fabricate some more cases> against me to suppress some more facts. THE CONSPIRACY HAS BEEN EXPOSED.>> A) Is it not an Attack on freedom of Press?

> B) Is it not human rights violation to beat brutally with sticks andkick> with boots?> C) Is it not a Conpiracy to Implicate us in False Charges?> D) Is it not a violation of press rights to Seize Press Material?

> E) Is it not human right violation to issue Threat to our Lives?>> If it is so, then what for is the Right to Information Act ?>> Thanking you>> Yours Truly>> Omprakash Agarwal

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