Amid the escalating controversy over the alleged use of animal fat in the preparation of ‘laddoo prasadam’ at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati, X handle The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) has tweeted a screenshot of a June 2019 report by Right-wing propaganda outlet OpIndia which is headlined, “Rumours of YSRC leader YV Subba Reddy, allegedly a Christian, being appointed head of TTD trust sparks protest”. The tweet calls for the arrest of the “Previous Chairman” and laments “the condition of Hindus in Hindu Rashtra!” (Archive)
The Previous Chairman should be arrested and tried for Tried
Having a Sleepless night after the News of Tirupati Prasadam!
This is the condition of Hindus in Hindu Rashtra! pic.twitter.com/XMAt91SNZt
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) September 19, 2024
The X user The Jaipur Dialogues shares misinformation and communal propaganda on a regular basis. The above tweet has been reshared over 2,000 times at the time of this article being written.
OpIndia editor Nupur J Sharma, too, tweeted the screenshot. (Archive)
Remember this? He was the chairman of TTD for 4 years – 2 consecutive terms. He retired in 2023. pic.twitter.com/XdF8uNGtK6
— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) September 19, 2024
The OpIndia article that the above tweets cited says, “A severe controversy has erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Reddy decided to appoint his close relative and former Ongole MP Subba Reddy, who is alleged to be converted Christian, to the post of chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) evoking huge protests in the social media.
According to the reports, YS Jagan Reddy, who himself is allegedly converted Christian, has decided to appoint his maternal uncle YV Subba Reddy as the Chairman of one of the country’s richest Hindu temple administration board – the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.”
The Same Claim Went Viral in June 2019
In a June 2019 tweet, Madhu Kishwar alleged that then Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy had appointed his uncle, allegedly “a staunch evangelist”, as the chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati temple trust, displacing author and chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murthy, who was a member of the board. Kishwar in her tweet claimed that the full name of Y V Subba Reddy, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle, was Yehova Vincent Subbareddy.
How can this be allowed @HMOIndia? Sudha Murthy resigns from Thirupathi board. Jagan appoints his uncle YEHOVA VINCENT Subbareddy( YV SUBBARADDY) -a staunch Evangelist as chairman of TIRUPATI TUMALA BALAJI TEMPLE, richest Hindu shrine
He works to spread more CHURCHES in Andhra.— MadhuPurnima Kishwar (@madhukishwar) June 11, 2019
Earlier, the same claim had been made in a tweet by a user named Ritu Rathaur.
So if sources are to be believed @ysjagan the newly appointed christian CM Of Andhra has made his maternal uncle a devout christian chairman of richest Hindu Temple Trust TTD
Hail Indian Secularism which allows governments to control & destroy Hindu Temples!@PMOIndia @HMOIndia— Ritu (सत्यसाधक)🇮🇳 (@RituRathaur) June 5, 2019
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) is an independent trust established for the management of the Tirumala Venkateshwara temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh.
Fact Check
Y V Subba Reddy’s full name is Yarram Venkata Subba Reddy and NOT Yehova Vincent Subba Reddy, as claimed. This was confirmed by Subba Reddy himself, who retweeted a tweet in response to Madhu Kishwar, in which a copy of his poll affidavit was attached.
In his defence, Subba Reddy tweeted a screenshot of an article in which he has been quoted as saying that he is a Hindu since birth.
— Y V Subba Reddy (@yvsubbareddymp) June 12, 2019
Moreover, Andhra Pradesh police was asked to take stern action against those spreading false propaganda against Y V Subba Reddy.
Interestingly, speculation about Y V Subbareddy’s appointment was followed by aggressive editing of his Wikipedia page, suggesting that he was a ‘converted Christian’. His page was later ‘protected’ due to ‘persistent vandalism’. More than 200 edits had been made to the page before it was shielded from further alteration.
Sudha Murthy Clarifies
Author and then chairperson of Infosys Foundation, Sudha Murthy, clarified that her resignation from the board of the TTD was not political.
In a conversation with The News Minute, Murthy said, “We were appointed by previous govt and it is not nice to continue without an invite. My decision was not political, it was just the decent thing to do.” She added, “My resignation has nothing to do with who becomes new TTD chairman. If the new government invites me, I will join”.
In conclusion, the claim that Y V Subba Reddy’s full name is Yehova Vincent Subba Reddy is outrightly false, and so is the implication that a Christian was selected to helm the temple trust.
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