Tirumala Prasadam controversy : The controversy over the purity and sanctity of the Laddu Prasadam of the world famous Tirupati temple located in Andhra Pradesh is deepening. There has been an uproar after it came to light that mutton tallow, fish oil and palm oil, pig fat were used in the holy Prasadam of Tirupati temple.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday alleged that during the YSRCP government, impure ingredients including animal fat and ghee were used in making Tirupati's holy Laddu Prasadam but after our government came to power, we have rectified it all.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has levelled sensational allegations against the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government citing a lab report. As claimed by the TDP, laboratory tests of ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala Temple Trust for making the famous Tirupati laddu prasadam during the tenure of the YSRC government have revealed adulteration with animal fat and fish oil. The ruling Telugu Desam Party has claimed that a Gujarat-based lab has confirmed the adulteration.
TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy announced the lab report in a press conference on September 19. In which he said, the sample was sent to the Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, NDDB (National Dairy Development Board) CALF Ltd (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food) on July 9, 2024.
The lab submitted its report on July 17. On this issue, former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam president and YSR Party MP YV Subba Reddy said, 'CM Naidu's statement on the sanctity of Tirupati Laddu Prasadam is extremely insulting. This has hurt the sentiments of Hindus all over the world.' TTD followed the highest standards in preparing Naivedyam and Prasadam from 2019 to 2024 and also improved the quality of Prasadam compared to earlier.
A letter to Amit Shah
In this case, lawyer Vineet Jindal has filed a petition with the Union Home Ministry and the Andhra Pradesh Police chief to register a case against former state CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) officials and the contractor who supplied adulterated ghee.
In his complaint, lawyer Jindal has requested to register an FIR against all of them under sections 152, 192, 196, 298 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code. Along with this, Jagan Mohan Reddy has requested to impose National Security Act (NSA) against others.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said in a recent statement, 'I appeal to the people of the state, NT Rama Rao started serving food in Tirumala. Even today the food served there is of poor quality. There are many complaints about Prasadam as well. The raw material used in making it is of low quality. Unholy raw material is used in this holy temple. We will clean up all this filth.
The special thing is that 3.50 lakh laddus are made every day in the canteen of the 300-year-old Tirupati temple. Tirumala Trust earns an average of Rs 500 crore every year from laddu prasadam.
Jagan Mohan reached the High Court
On the other hand, Jagan Mohan and his party YSR Congress approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court over this dispute. YSR Congress appealed in the High Court. He met Chandrababu Naidu and demanded the formation of a judicial committee to investigate the allegations of TDP.
The High Court will hear the matter on September 25. Union Food Minister Prahlad Joshi has also sought a detailed report on this matter.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday said he was deeply concerned over the findings of the lab report that confirmed the adulteration of Tirumala's laddu prasadam with fish oil and animal fat. “The TTD board constituted by the YCP government will have to answer many questions. Our government is committed to take the strictest action possible,” he said.
Prasad of all temples should be checked
Now Karnataka BJP has demanded that the Prasad of all the temples controlled by the state government should be laboratory tested and no non-Hindu should be appointed to run the temple.
On the Tirupati Prasadam controversy, Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple, said, 'Investigation has revealed that fish oil was mixed in the Prasadam. It is not yet known since when this has been happening. This is a conspiracy and an attack on Sanatan Dharma. The government should take this seriously and punish the culprits.'
BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao said, “Hindus die for a small piece of Tirupati Prasadam. Adulterating the prasadam is a mockery of the faith of Hindus. What happened is beyond imagination. TTD is a Hindu organisation and only Hindus should be included in it.” Our demand is that only Hindus should be given employment in the Tirupati temple premises. Lakhs of people visit the temple every year. The culprits need to be sent behind bars. We want only Hindus to be a part of TTD and only Hindus should work in the shops in the temple premises.