Tirupati Laddoos Row: Amid the raging controversy over animal fat allegedly being found in Tirupati temple laddoos, the chief priest of Ayodhya temple Acharya Satyendra Das said on Friday that 300 kg of ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to the devotees during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya earlier in January this year.
Das expressed outrage over the alleged discovery of animal fat in ghee used to prepare ‘prasad’ (laddoos) of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati temple. “If animal fat was mixed in the ‘prasad’, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against people involved in it,” he said.
Tirupati laddoos garnered attention recently after the N. Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government claimed that the ghee used to prepare the temple’s ‘prasad’ (laddus) contained animal fats.
Reacting on the Tirupati laddoos row, the Ayodhya temple’s chief priest on Friday said that ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed at the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, as reported by news agency PTI.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, while citing a lab report on Friday asserted there was presence of ‘lard’ (pig fat) and other impurities in the ghee.
“Vaishnav saints and devotees do not even use garlic and onions. In such a context, the use of fat in the offerings is very unfortunate. It is a mockery of the Hindu faith. A major agency should investigate this, and those found guilty should face action,” Das said.
“It is clear from the checking that was done that fish oil was mixed…It is still not known when all this has been happening. This is a conspiracy and an attack on Sanatan Dharma. The government should take it very seriously and conduct an investigation. The culprit should be punished,” he said.
#WATCH | On Tirupati Prasadam row, Chief Priest of Ram Janmabhoomi, Acharya Satyendra Das says, “It is clear from the checking that was done that fish oil was mixed…It is still not known when all this has been happening. This is a conspiracy and an attack on Sanatan Dharma. The… pic.twitter.com/9Os2TyPrEe
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2024
The Central government too weighed in, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda seeking a report on the matter from the Andhra Pradesh government and promising suitable action after examining it. Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for an investigation into the allegations.
(With PTI Inputs)
