In a landmark appeal combining constitutional advocacy with spiritual assertion, Maddila Gurumoorthy, the Member of Parliament from Tirupati and a representative of the Scheduled Caste Tiruppan Alwar Ammal community, has urged President Droupadi Murmu to recommend the installation of a statue of Tiruppan Alwar within the premises of the Supreme Court of India.
Calling it a matter of “profound spiritual and national importance,” Gurumoorthy’s letter, dated May 27, 2025, highlights the historical denial of temple access to his community and seeks national recognition for their constitutional and devotional contributions. “The conferment of the Ammal title is not merely symbolic—it represents a historical reversal and the recognition of our steadfast devotion,” he wrote, urging that “the Government of India and the Supreme Court of India commemorate this contribution by issuing a commemorative stamp and installing a statue of Tiruppan Alwar… as a lasting symbol of inclusive Dharma and the true spirit of social justice.”
Call for Deity-Centric Jurisprudence
The MP strongly advocated for legal reforms that would acknowledge Hindu deities as enduring juristic persons with proactive protections under the law. “It is the heartfelt aspiration of my community that this culminates in the establishment of a doctrine titled ‘Dharma as the Basis for Adjudication,’ ensuring that any matter involving the rights, dignity, and self-respect of Hindu Deities is adjudicated in accordance with Dharma,” Gurumoorthy wrote.
He reminded the President that the Ayodhya judgment recognised Shri Ram Lalla Virajman as a juristic entity with the right to own property and litigate. “Similarly, courts in Jharkhand summoned deities Shri Ram and Hanuman in temple-related land disputes, and in Chhattisgarh, Lord Shiva was treated as a party in a similar legal matter,” he noted, adding that Indian jurisprudence consistently reinforces the legal personhood of deities.
However, Gurumoorthy pointed out a crucial gap: “It is observed that the recognition of a deity’s juristic personality often emerges only at the stage of litigation. Such reactive recognition does not offer proactive legal safeguards. If the land belongs to the temple, it should, as a matter of law and dharma, be registered in the name of the deity.”
To this end, he urged that “a systemic correction must be integrated into rule-making by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, reflecting constitutional values as well as the spirit of Dharma.”
Rangarajan, Archaka of Chilkur Balaji Temple, welcomed the letter by sharing on ‘X’ calling it as a very important one.
Om Vashat Karaya Namaha 🙏
A Very important letter of Hon'ble MP Shri Gurumoorthy garu @GuruMYSRCP
Rep Shri Balaji Venkateshwara Swamy Deity of Tirumala belonging to devotional Tiruppan Alwar Ammal (SC/ST) community to Her Excellency @rashtrapatibhvnhttps://t.co/xmlLr1MAZd pic.twitter.com/pWK0pFOZH9— Rangarajan chilkur (@csranga) May 29, 2025
Demand for Consultation with Eminent Legal Minds
At the heart of the MP’s appeal is his request that the Supreme Court Rules Amendment Committee consult both former Chief Justice Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah and the Attorney General of India before finalising any rule changes that impact the legal rights of Hindu deities.
“I wholeheartedly support this just and reasonable demand, as it aligns with our civilisational ethos and constitutional dharma,” Gurumoorthy wrote, referencing an earlier letter dated May 9, 2025, submitted by his community to the President.
He specifically invoked Article 60 of the Constitution, which requires every officeholder to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution in its truest and dharmic form—a form that includes the Dharma of Shri Rama.”
Tirumala Legacy and Hereditary Rights
The MP also highlighted the reinstatement of hereditary temple service rights at Tirumala, crediting the late Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for their restorative actions.
“The Mirasi system, which granted hereditary rights to certain families for performing temple duties at Tirumala, was abolished in 1987, disrupting centuries-old traditions,” he noted. “In 2007, under the leadership of the late Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy, key practices of this system were partially reinstated. Continuing the same, former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took a historic step by restoring the hereditary rights of the Sannidhi Golla, a Yadava family with a sacred role in temple service.”
This act, Gurumoorthy wrote, “honours the spiritual legacy of Tirumala” and must be seen as part of a wider dharmic and constitutional awakening across the country.
