Amaravati, March 6 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Friday that social media will be prohibited for children below 13 years of age within the next 90 days in the state.
Addressing the assembly, the Chief Minister said they are debating whether to extend this ban to children between 13 and 16 years of age.
"Definitely, we will ensure that within 90 days, those below 13 years of age are not able to use social media," said Naidu.
The CM said his government will make a decision on banning social media for teenagers between 13 and 16 years.
Referring to the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddus, Naidu said, "The Venkateswara Swamy laddus were defiled. This is not a minor offense. It was a deliberate conspiracy," he said.
During an NDA legislative party meeting in the southern state in 2024, Naidu had alleged that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare the Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus, which are revered and sought after by crores of devotees.
"That party (YSRCP) doesn't seem to have realized this, and there was no response when Sri Venkateswara Swamy was allegedly defiled," said Naidu.
The CM criticized YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying he showed a lack of remorse over the controversy.
He emphasized that true democracy requires respecting the customs and traditions of religious institutions.
Despite the controversy surrounding the sanctity of the Tirupati temple, he highlighted a surge in religious tourism.
"The state's temples have seen an increase in footfall, logging a growth of up to 70 per cent," he added.