On September 20, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference said lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard (pig fat) in chosen samples and the board is in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied "adulterated" ghee.
A four-hour purification ritual was carried out at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple of Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district amid row over allegations of adulteration of laddus offered as 'prasadam' there. Temple sources cited in a news agency PTI report purification ritual was held to please the Lord Venkateswara Swamy after the alleged "sacrilegious practices such as mixing animal fats" in making Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) and others.
Meanwhile, India's food safety regulator on Monday issued a show cause notice to a Tamil Nadu-based firm for allegedly supplying substandard ghee to temple authority Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) as the chorus for a thorough probe and strict action over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus grew louder.
What Is The Controversy: On September 20, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference said lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard (pig fat) in chosen samples and the board is in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied "adulterated" ghee. TTD executive officer's revelation came two days after Andhra Pradesh CM, during an NDA legislative party meeting, claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making laddus.
Andhra CM Blames YSRCP: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday alleged that several procedures to procure ghee at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) were altered under the previous YSRCP-led state government, adding that appointments to the TTD board "became like gambling". Addressing a press conference at his Undavalli residence, CM Naidu on Sunday announced an SIT manned by an IG level or above officer, saying that crores of Hindus' sentiments were hurt after the revelations with regard to laddus that animal fats were allegedly used to make them and added that they are enraged.
Tobacco in Tirupati Laddu Claims Surface: Amid animal fat allegations, a devotee has reportedly alleged that she found tobacco wrapped in paper inside a laddu that was given to her as prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. Donthu Padmavati, a resident of Khammam district, said she discovered the tobacco after her visit to the temple on September 19. "As I was about to distribute the laddu, I was horrified to find pieces of tobacco wrapped in a small paper," Padmavati shared, expressing her anguish. "The prasadam is supposed to be sacred, and to find such contamination is heartbreaking," indiatoday.in quoted her as saying.
More Petitions In SC: More petitions were filed on the Tirupati laddu row in the Supreme Court, reports said on Monday. Former minister and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy sought a court-monitored inquiry into the issue and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman and YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy, who has denied the allegations of adulteration, asked for a probe by an independent committee under a retired Supreme Court judge. The apex body of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which met in Tirupati, also appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of Tirupati laddu adulteration allegations.
4-hour Purification Ritual Held: A four-hour 'Shanti Homam Panchagavya Prokshana' (ritualistic sanitisation) to undo the alleged desecrations was held on Monday morning, According to a temple sources cited by PTI, the ritual began at 6 am and concluded at 10 am. It was aimed at propitiating Lord Venkateswara Swamy from the alleged sacrilegious practices such as mixing animal fats in making Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) and others, the source said.