Make Tirumala Liquor-Free Zone: YSRC

The newly-elected YSR Congress party MLA from Tirupati, Bhuma Karunakar Reddy, on Sunday, launched an indefinite hunger strike at the Srinivasa pilgrimage complex in Tirumala, demanding that the state movernment make the abode of Lord Venkateswara liquor-free.

While sitting for the fast at Tirumala, Karunakar Reddy said that the government must make Tirumala free from liquor on the lines of the Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi in Maharashtra, and respect the sentiments of the devotees and protect the temple's sanctity.

Demanding that the government impose prohibitory orders with immediate effect, Karunakar Reddy said that he would continue his fast until the government announces a firm decision in this regard.

The YSRC party MLA also demanded that the government give top priority to solve the drinking water problem in the Tirupati Assembly constituency. He demanded that chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and former Tirupati MLA K Chiranjeevi honour their promises given to the people of Tirupati.

He said that Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chiranjeevi had promised that they would make Tirupati a world-class spiritual centre, besides developing it on the lines of the state capital.

Karunakar Reddy also demanded that the government release funds worth Rs. 450 crore, that were promised during the by-elections, for the development of Tirupati, within 15 days. (INN)