The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has ran into trouble after rejecting its own directive to include Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) temples in Tirumala on the protected monuments list. The TTD is Andhra Pradesh's governing body which has been looking after the administration of the temples with no intervention from the central body. But ASI issued a directive to include all the temples under its wings, in order to maintain the antiquity. The letter was written by the ASI's Amaravati Circle office in Vijayawada but has now been withdrawn by ASI Director General Usha Sharma.

The ASI office in Vijayawada said it had received orders from the headquarters and thus wanted all information to understand the feasibility of maintaining these temples. The letter said, "Hence, you are requested to provide information on the temples under the TTD and also cooperate with the ASI officials." The TTD Executive Officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal told reporters in Tirumala that he had received a call from the Director General assuring him that no such study had been proposed. “The DG told me that the ASI Vijayawada office has sent a communication to the TTD without her knowledge. She said it should never have been sent and that it stands withdrawn,” he said to a report in Indian Express. She sent a letter to the EO citing that the earlier letter was sent “inadvertently” and “hence may be treated as withdrawn.”

After the letter arrived, it received a mixed of response. The chief priest of Chilkur Balaji temple Rangarajan said that ASI has been trying to take over the protection of the temples for a long time and there was nothing new in the letter. While it was argued that the TTD and State governments were enough to take care of the temples. The BJP Spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao took to Twitter to clarify the matter. He wrote, "Culture Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma told me that there is no question of Centre taking over Tirumala/TTD or any temples or mosques. Only when a state govt requests intervention, Centre considers such a request. Please stop misleading lies being spread by vested political groups." He also mentioned that the concerned ASI officer from Vijaywada will be taken action against for issuing the directive without proper permissions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 06, 2018 10:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).