NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan on Friday addressed the controversy surrounding the use of adulterated ingredients in the preparation of Tirupati Laddu Prasadams and said that when temples are attacked, it is the duty of every political leader to speak out.
“We have to maintain sanctity of every place of worship, irrespective of it being a mosque, church or temple. We cannot desecrate it. So, when temples are being attacked, it is the fundamental responsibility of every political leader - irrespective of which faith he belongs, to raise their voice. This kind of consciousness has to be awakened," the deputy CM told ANI.
“I think it is very essential for the integrity of our nation which is being neglected. It's high time, I think we should put an end to it. We will find a method to mitigate such situations,” he added.
Pawan suggested finding a solution to address such situations and put forward a proposal to establish a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' during the upcoming cabinet meeting to tackle the issue and ensure the purity of the sacred offerings.
Pawan, a key leader in the BJP-led NDA block said that when governments and boards are not acting well, “there should be some other monitoring mechanism in India. Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board is the need of the day if any kind of desecration happens to idols, the sanctity of temple is not maintained...Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board is essential because when you leave it to the political groups, such incidents are likely to happen on a regular basis. To thwart it and find a permanent solution, I think Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board should be constituted.”
“Maybe I will speak with my cabinet as well as the CM. I will personally take it forward...We will constitute something like Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board, it is essential...I will take it up in the next cabinet meeting,” he added.
The Jana Sena president said that the quality of prasad is always quite superior even if a small portion is considered a mahaprasad by all devotees. The preparation of prasad is carried out with utmost devotion and reverence. The ingredients used in making prasad are sourced from highly trusted groups and companies to ensure its purity and sanctity.
He further questioned the recent changes and said, “No one has dared to violate that part, dared to change. You need 15,000 kgs of ghee per day to make prasad. They claim that they changed vendors because it is Rs 1000 plus something and they changed and brought it down. They said that they supply was given to them at Rs 360-400. Ghee is made at a high price. So, how could they source such cheap ghee?”
Pawan continued stating that the devotees had been voicing their concerns about the unusual smell in the prasad, “ which is not usual. I thought no one would dare to violate these kinds of complaints but I was looking at other things in TTD. We had been raising concerns regarding the quality of prasad and functioning of TTD. When we formed the Government and said that we want to revive TTD and sent samples, we realised that animal fat, fish oil, beef fat and pig fat were in there.”
“We are hurt and shocked. When people of no commitment and no value and no respect for the sanctity of the temple, if they take charge this is what happens...It is not just about prasad, maybe liquor and non-veg was supplied, people were having parties there,” he added.
The Naidu-led Andhra government made a public laboratory analysis of the cow ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala temple trust for making its laddu on Thursday, which later revealed the presence of foreign fats including lard (clarified pig fat), tallow (beef fat) and fish oil.
The samples also contained fats from vegetable sources like coconut, linseed, rapeseed and cottonseed. The analysis was conducted on July 23 after the government received complaints of change in taste of the laddu prasadam.
“We have to maintain sanctity of every place of worship, irrespective of it being a mosque, church or temple. We cannot desecrate it. So, when temples are being attacked, it is the fundamental responsibility of every political leader - irrespective of which faith he belongs, to raise their voice. This kind of consciousness has to be awakened," the deputy CM told ANI.
“I think it is very essential for the integrity of our nation which is being neglected. It's high time, I think we should put an end to it. We will find a method to mitigate such situations,” he added.
Pawan suggested finding a solution to address such situations and put forward a proposal to establish a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' during the upcoming cabinet meeting to tackle the issue and ensure the purity of the sacred offerings.
Pawan, a key leader in the BJP-led NDA block said that when governments and boards are not acting well, “there should be some other monitoring mechanism in India. Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board is the need of the day if any kind of desecration happens to idols, the sanctity of temple is not maintained...Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board is essential because when you leave it to the political groups, such incidents are likely to happen on a regular basis. To thwart it and find a permanent solution, I think Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board should be constituted.”
“Maybe I will speak with my cabinet as well as the CM. I will personally take it forward...We will constitute something like Sanathana Dharma Parirakshana Board, it is essential...I will take it up in the next cabinet meeting,” he added.
The Jana Sena president said that the quality of prasad is always quite superior even if a small portion is considered a mahaprasad by all devotees. The preparation of prasad is carried out with utmost devotion and reverence. The ingredients used in making prasad are sourced from highly trusted groups and companies to ensure its purity and sanctity.
He further questioned the recent changes and said, “No one has dared to violate that part, dared to change. You need 15,000 kgs of ghee per day to make prasad. They claim that they changed vendors because it is Rs 1000 plus something and they changed and brought it down. They said that they supply was given to them at Rs 360-400. Ghee is made at a high price. So, how could they source such cheap ghee?”
Pawan continued stating that the devotees had been voicing their concerns about the unusual smell in the prasad, “ which is not usual. I thought no one would dare to violate these kinds of complaints but I was looking at other things in TTD. We had been raising concerns regarding the quality of prasad and functioning of TTD. When we formed the Government and said that we want to revive TTD and sent samples, we realised that animal fat, fish oil, beef fat and pig fat were in there.”
“We are hurt and shocked. When people of no commitment and no value and no respect for the sanctity of the temple, if they take charge this is what happens...It is not just about prasad, maybe liquor and non-veg was supplied, people were having parties there,” he added.
The Naidu-led Andhra government made a public laboratory analysis of the cow ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala temple trust for making its laddu on Thursday, which later revealed the presence of foreign fats including lard (clarified pig fat), tallow (beef fat) and fish oil.
The samples also contained fats from vegetable sources like coconut, linseed, rapeseed and cottonseed. The analysis was conducted on July 23 after the government received complaints of change in taste of the laddu prasadam.
