The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, the governing body of the world's richest Hindu temple, has made an important decision that compels its non-Hindu employees to resign or be transferred to other administrative offices of the Andhra Pradesh State government.

Why did TTD make this decision?

TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu announced the decision on Monday, stating it aligns with the organization’s policy to ensure that only Hindus manage the temple’s operations and affiliated institutions. Naidu emphasized,  “Only Hindus should be allowed to run the temple,” a stance that the board's resolution now enforces.

The actual number of employees affected by the move could not be gathered, but sources estimate that of TTD's 7,000 permanent employees, around 300 belong to non-Hindu communities. Besides, 14,000 contract workers of the temple fall under this directive.

The TTD does this for reasons founded in legal provisions that allow religious institutions to have staff exclusively of their faith. Article 16(5) of the Indian Constitution permits such restrictions, while Rule 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Subordinate Service Rules mandates that employees of such religious institutions must profess the Hindu faith.

In November 2023, these rules were upheld by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. This reinforced the ability of the TTD to set employment conditions.

The decision has been welcomed by employees' unions, which claim that the decision complies with the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Act and the TTD Act. 

A union leader stated, “This decision should be enforced in totality,” referring to the fact that years ago, employees were required to embrace Hinduism in these religious institutions.

Despite these laws, reports from various sources claim that the TTD continues to employ non-Hindus as employees, thus drawing complaints from local Hindu members, especially under the current state government of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

While strengthening temple Hindu identity, TTD's move has also led to sharp debate over employment rights and diversity in public institutions. The detractors see these policies as undermining inclusion, while the proponents have argued that this protection of sacred practice is necessary for maintaining its sanctity.

This move by the TTD comes forth as a major stride towards upholding its commitment to preserving the spiritual and cultural ethos of one of India's most revered temples. As the discussion continues, it underlines the delicate balance between upholding religious freedoms and maintaining inclusive employment practices.

The resolution comes amid debates over the temple's practices that are going on in full swing. Recently, allegations surfaced that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government compromised the purity of the temple's iconic Tirupati laddu by using ghee containing animal fat. The issue has set off discussions about safeguarding the temple's religious traditions.