The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is paying Rs. 120 Cr nearly every year towards the GST. The Central Government is also collecting GST on the rooms of devotees atop Tirumala hills. The Central taxes were being imposed at the TTD temple on a par with all other organisations. This has been becoming a debatable point in the political circles.

Now, YCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy has raised this in the Rajya Sabha directly. He has asked why the so called Hinduism-bound BJP leaders were not trying to exempt the TTD from these taxes. The TTD is not a commercial institution but a religious and devotional organisation purely meant for the well being of the devotees. The pilgrims come to Tirumala purely for the purpose of devotion but not any commercial intentions. However, the GST is being collected on their rooms and also services being provided to them.

Vijay Sai has appealed to the Modi regime to withdraw the GST collections from the TTD and other temples. The BJP leaders claim that they are the sole representatives of the Hindu devotees but they are not taking up this cause.

Several times, Swamijis and religious heads have put forth this demand but the Centre has turned a deaf ear to this considering the need for increasing tax collections.