Pawan Kalyan proposes 'Sanatana Dharma Board' amid Tirupati laddoos row
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has called for the establishment of a "Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board" at the national level amid controvresy over the ingredients used in Tirupati laddoos. The controversy erupted after allegations surfaced that animal fat, including fish oil, swine fat, and beef tallow, was used instead of ghee to prepare the sacred laddoos at Tirumala. "We are all deeply disturbed with the findings of animal fat..mixed in Tirupathi Balaji Prasad," Kalyan wrote on X.
Lab report reveals foreign fat in Tirupati laddus
"Many questions remain unanswered by the TTD [Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams] board constituted by the YCP [Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party] government," he added. "Many be the time has come to constitute a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' at a National level to look into all the issues related to temples in entire Bharath," he said. He emphasized that the Andhra Pradesh administration is determined to take stern action against those responsible.
Public lab analysis confirms presence of foreign fats
On Thursday, the Andhra Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu conducted a public laboratory analysis of cow ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala temple trust for making its laddus. The party alleged that the analysis 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.
CM Naidu expresses concern over temple's food quality
The Tirumala temple trust prepares about three lakh laddoos daily and the 'prasadam' is held in high regard by devotees. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an avatar of Lord Vishnu who is said to have arrived to Earth to help humanity overcome the challenges of the Kali Yuga. As a result, the temple is known as Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is named Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.
