Bageshwar Dham’s Dhirendra Shastri has urged the authorities to probe allegations of using “animal fat” to make the laddus given out at the Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh. He insisted that, if the charges are proved, the prime offender is liable to death for having tampered with the sacrosanct “prasadam”.
“We appeal to the state government to impose capital punishment on those who are responsible. If animal fat, fish oil were indeed used in the prasad, then it would be a tragic situation altogether. This should be gone into in detail,” Shastri said.
He further suggested that temple management be entrusted to a “Hindu Board” so as not to hurt the religious feelings of Sanatanis.
Shastri’s comments seem to come in the wake of the growing controversy over Tirupati Laddus, which have been keeping everyone under the scanner since the TDP lead Chandrababu Naidu accused the erstwhile YSRCP govt of “adulterating” the laddus. TDP claimed that lab reports revealed the existence of “animal fat” within the sacrosanct sweets that scared a major section of the crowd.
The Tirupati Laddu is popularly known as the ‘Srivari Laddu.’ It has been an offering at the temple for more than 300 years. However, there arose a controversy when newly-elected TDP government alleged that YSRCP regime used animal fat instead of pure ghee in the laddu. It was Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who expressed his alarm saying that authorities had failed to keep the purity of the prasadam at stake.
“Even after many complaints, authorities had failed to maintain the sanctity of the revered prasadam,” Naidu said during an NDA coalition meeting in Mangalagiri. He added, “They have behaved like evil. The Prasadam which is offered to god was also impure. Not only are adulterated ingredients used, but they have also used animal fat instead of ghee.”
Reacting to it, YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy said Naidu had hurt the sanctity of the temple and had conveyed to one and all that he was undermining the faith of Hindus. Reddy posted on X, “Chandrababu Naidu has committed a great sin by damaging the sanctity of the divine temple Tirumala and the faith of hundreds of crores of Hindus. Chandrababu’s comments on Tirumala Prasad are very evil. No one born of human birth speaks such words or makes such accusations.”
The health ministry has asked for an exhaustive report on the number of laddus distributed as prasadam at the Tirupati temple.
