Sri VAANI Trust: An open letter to CM Sri Chandrababu Naidu & Dy CM Sri Pawan Kalyan

Dear Hon’ble Chandrababu Naidu garu and Hon’ble Pawan Kalyan garu,

I write this as an ordinary devotee (Bhaktudu) of Srivaru. Like millions of other devotees, I am deeply hurt by the complete lack of transparency in Srivaru’s accounts, particularly concerning the Sri VAANI Trust. I sincerely urge you to correct the current pathetic state of affairs.

Background

Sri VAANI Trust (Sri Venkateshwara Aalayala Nirmanam Trust) was established broadly with the following objectives:

• Construction & maintenance of Sri Venkateshwara Swami Temples at various locations across India.
• Providing amenities to perform religious rituals, functions, and festivals.
• Renovate, protect, preserve, and maintain Gopurams and archaeological buildings that reflect the glory of Indian culture, tradition, and history.

The objective is further refined to construct Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temples, particularly in SC/ST/BC and weaker section colonies, more prone to religious conversions. (emphasis mine).

The Trust was established as per the TTD Board resolution No.388 on August 28, 2018 (during the period of Sri .S.Jaganmohan Reddy as CM, his uncle Sri Y.V.Subba Reddy as the Chairman of the Board and their Man Friday, Sri A.Dharma Reddy as the E.O). The Trust commenced its activities on September 23, 2019, vide Board resolution 23. To make the donor scheme attractive, it approved the extension of the privilege of one-time VIP Break darshan to donors donating Rs.10,000 to the Trust. What continues to remain opaque is the receipts and expenditures of the Trust. To those who are not aware of the scheme, a sum of Rs.10,500/- is collected for the VIP break darshan under this scheme, of which 10,000/- is retained by the Sri VAANI Trust to spend on its objectives and a sum of Rs.500/- is expected to be transferred to TTD accounts on each ticket towards the cost of break darshan.

The Scheme was a grand success. It is talked about that TTD was selling around 1500-2000 such tickets each day. However, the actual number is not read out to Srivaru during the morning Koluvu. The VIP break Darshan was initially scheduled and running for a long time during the early morning hours, after the traditional Suprabatham, Thomala & Archana Sevas. The VIP pilgrims needed to be accommodated (at their cost) overnight at Tirumala, mostly in VIP cottages and the poor VIPs had to spend one extra night away from their businesses. It also became administratively troublesome for TTD to allocate such VIP cottages in large numbers each day. TTD immediately adjusted the Seva timings. Now this VIP Break is during the afternoon, thus the VIP dignitaries can fly in the morning, have a quick darshan, and fly out of Tirupati in the Evening. TTD is very considerate in accommodating the very rich.

The former Chairman and the former E.O. have both claimed to have presented a white paper on the scheme. They have given the numbers of Temples to be constructed/ renovated, to be 1953 through the Endowment Department and 320 through another Trust (SST), while no data was provided on the individual location, cost of each project, and the respective break-up.

The following questions need to be addressed:

• Has there been an external audit of this Trust? Has there been an internal Audit? Can the TTD publish the findings of one such audit, if any?
• Can the TTD publish the actual number of new temples built, old ones renovated, gopurams built/ renovated, Bhajan Mandalis that received support, and buildings of cultural, religious, and archaeological background that are renovated, protected as of date? The official website of TTD doesn’t carry any of these details of the Trust.
• Will the Trust provide details of each such work, village-panchayat-wise including the cost involved in such work in each of these with actual 1953+320 locations?

Former TTD Chairman Sri Y V Subba Reddy:

“Renovation of 1953 temples has been taken up by the State Endowments Department and 320 temples by Samarasata Seva Foundation,” he added.[1]

The Trust has provided funds to another Trust, SST (Samarasata Sewa Foundation). The SST has given basic information about its work in various villages etc., in tabular columns, but it has not furnished its detailed Audited account statements online on its website. It would be interesting to see the accounts – on money received from the TTD’s Sri VAANI Trust and spent on individual work claimed to be done by them. A break up for the money expended for the 320 temples they were allotted would be interesting and important because after all the money disbursed is God’s own money given with great faith to both the TTD and the beneficiary trusts.

• Will the TTD confidently declare that no money was diverted to other than the stated objectives of the Trust, as there are already people in Tirupati speaking in hushed tones that a large sum of money from the Trust has been used in re-building the second and third Dharma Satrams behind Tirupati Railway Station – if so, clearly a deviation from the stated objectives of the Trust. The money should have gone from the TTD for this work and NOT from this Sri VAANI Trust. That would be a gross violation of the objectives of the Trust. A betrayal of the trust the devotees continue to place in both the TTD Trust and Sri VAANI Trust. The TTD’s FA&CAO has to come clean and put these rumours to rest, and negate them by furnishing properly audited accounts for each rupee collected and spent.
• It is the responsibility of the TTD’s FA&CAO to publish accounts of the Sri VAANI Trust, with a break up of expenses incurred on individual projects, renovations, location, repairs & renewals, names of Bhajan Mandalis in villages/ towns, and the support each one received, etc.
• He should also make it public, how many such projects have been completed in SC/BC/ST colonies/villages, weaker sections, etc., as they have claimed that it is their avowed objective to support those easily prone to religious conversions.

I would like to draw the kind attention of the CM & DCM that when Dr. Subramanian Swamy went to court on releasing temples from government control in AP, the government of AP had it seems agreed in principle in the Court to an audit by the CAG into TTD Accounts.[2]

Dr. Swamy’s tweet confirming this is available in the above article. I have not seen this happen to date.

Would you please take this seriously and ensure that the TTD accounts are brought under the audit of CAG or to start with will you please initiate an external audit of TTD accounts? I firmly believe that there will be a good number of audit firms that would do it Free of Cost to the TTD, on an annual basis, as their Seva to Bhagawan. You could start with at least this Trust’s accounts to be audited by external auditors.

Sakshi TV claimed that the current E.O. even before taking charge had said that he’d abolish this VVIP Sri VAANI Trust’s scheme of break darshan.

I believe there is considerable pressure on you to continue this Trust and the Scheme:

1. From the very rich who would like to fly in and fly out. And many of them are donors to various political parties.
2. Because it was a cash cow for the previous government and it would be foolish to think that this government would view it differently. After all, cash is God in Kali Yuga. And why bother about Dharma and accounts?

I hope the current CM and DCM will take steps to make this at least totally transparent, if not abolished.

Bhagawan may keep his eyes closed for Swamy Droham. But He will not be kind to those who do Droham to His Bhagavatas.

An ordinary Srivari Bhaktudu,

S.V.Badri

PS: Just before the publication of this open letter, I received information that TTD has now passed a Board resolution that no more funds will be collected by Sri VAANI Trust and TTD itself will manage the collection of donations under VIP Break Darshan. However, all the above questions need answers and the TTD/Government should order a probe into the accounts of Sri VAANI Trust established under the erstwhile YSJ government and make the findings of the probe public. Will you please do it, Sirs?

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

Reference:

[1] TTD releases White Paper on SriVani funds – Jun 23, 2023, The Hindu

[2] Tirupati temple board gives TTD audit responsibility to CAG, Swamy says ‘task complete’ – Sep 2020, The Print

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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