By Syed Akbar
Faith in God comes from inside the heart. And when the heart opens up, it does nothing but right. Actions guided by true faith in the Almighty cannot be questioned, as far as they do not cause harm to others.
Such actions may sound strange for some and are often subjected to criticism, but the devotee and the Deity only know what true faith is.
It is this unbridled faith in the Almighty that has driven Karnataka Tourism Minister and mines baron Gali Janardhan Reddy to donate something innovative, which only the devout kings of yore did to express their love to the Creator.
Four centuries after the noble kings of Vijayanagara adorned the presiding deity of
Tirumala with a diamond-studded gold crown, Janardhan Reddy created a record of sorts in devotion by offering a 34-kg crown to Lord Sri Venkateswara. Like the Vijayanagara crown, it is cast in 32 kgs of gold, studded with diamonds weight 4,000 plus carats. The golden donation is worth Rs 35 crore (not Rs 42 crore as reported in the media).
Several people, particularly politicians like Telugu Desam politburo member Nagam
Janardhan Reddy and Praja Rajyam political affairs committee member T Devendar Goud, took serious objection to the Minister's religious gesture. Their grouse is that Janardhan Reddy had not donated the money for a public cause.
But what these critics, guided more by politics, do not know is that though Janardhan Reddy is a member of the Karnataka Cabinet and public figure, he is an individual and businessman too.
Moreover, he has donated the crown from his hard earned money, and not from the public exchequer. After all an individual has every right to do whatever he wants with his money.
Also it's an individual's choice how he or she looks at devotion and service to God. Some see service to God in service to man. Others believe in direct service to God. It's not that Janardhan Reddy does not believe in service to man. He has his own philanthropic projects.
What is offered to God purely out of love cannot be questioned. If those critical of
Janardhan Reddy are really interested in serving the public, let them open hospitals and schools and perform the marriage of the poor girls. Neither the Telugu Desam nor the Congress leaders, who have criticised Janardhan Reddy, are morally obliged to do so, until they take up public service in real earnest. Not through politics, through MLAship or ministership.
The Karnataka Minister is right as far as his devotion is concerned. No one has a right to point fingers at him.
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