Amidst the controversy over the alleged presence of animal fat in the world famous Tirupati temple sweet potatoLeader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called the allegations “disturbing” and said authorities across India must protect the sanctity of religious places.
“Reports of desecration of prasad at Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati are disturbing. Lord Balaji is a revered deity by millions of devotees in India and across the world. This issue will sadden every devotee and needs to be looked into seriously. Authorities across India must protect the sanctity of our religious places,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on Twitter.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s claim that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddu during the previous government has led to a major political controversy. The YSRCP has rejected the allegations, but the party has also accused Chandrababu Naidu of making “disgusting allegations” for political gains.
However, the TDP is circulating a lab report to support its claims. The lab report being shared on social media allegedly shows the presence of “foreign fats” such as “beef tallow”, “lard” and “fish oil” in the ghee samples. A type of sweetThe date of receipt of the sample was July 9, 2024 and the laboratory report was dated July 16.
The Congress said if the claims of desecration of Tirupati laddu are true, a full probe should be conducted to identify the culprits, but if they are false or motivated, lakhs of Tirupati devotees will not forgive those who played with their faith.
Congress’ Pawan Khera said, “If the claims of desecration of Tirupati laddus are true, then there should definitely be a full investigation, the culprits should be identified and given the harshest punishment, but if the claims are false or motivated, then lakhs of Tirupati devotees will not forgive those who played with their faith.”
“Until then, it is opportune for the BJP to let polarising conspiracy theories fly in the election season,” he said.
TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy claimed at a press conference that a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory has confirmed adulteration in ghee samples provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.
