Display of a political banner at the hill shrine on Thursday drew sharp condemnation from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
A group of activists of the AIADMK’s student wing from Madurai unfurled a political flex banner in front of the main temple complex, in blatant violation of strict apolitical code.
The banner, which featured the images of the former Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and local personalities, was displayed amid fanfare and filmed by the activists, the clippings of which were later posted on the social media, where it quickly went viral, inviting the ire of the temple administration.
In a stern handout, the TTD asserted zero tolerance for such political display acts in Tirumala, and announced imminent legal action against those responsible.
The incident also invited criticism of the TTD’s vigilance and security machinery, with the Alipiri checkpoint once again under scrutiny for allowing prohibited materials easily slip through the heavily guarded toll plaza, exposing the glaring gaps in surveillance and enforcement.
Published – December 18, 2025 06:15 pm IST
