Andhra Dy CM Pawan Kalyan bats for Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board amid Tirupati laddu row

Amaravati, Sept 20: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan urged for the constitution of a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' to look into issues related to temples across the country.

In a post on X on Friday, Pawan Kalyan assured strict action on the ongoing laddu controversy in Tirupati and added that this matter points to many issues surrounding "desecration of temples, its land issues and other dharmic practices."

"We are all deeply disturbed with the findings of animal fat (fish oil, pork fat and beef fat) mixed in Tirupathi Balaji Prasad. Many questions were to be answered by the TTD board constituted by YCP government then. Our government is committed to taking the most stringent action possible. But this throws light on many issues surrounding desecration of temples, its land issues and other dharmic practices," he said in the post.

"May 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 the entire Bharath," Pawan Kalyan said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also called for national-level debate on the matter and urged for a collective fight against "desecration of Sanathana Dharma in any form."

"A debate has to happen at a national level by all the policymakers, religious heads, judiciary, citizens, media and all others in their respective domains. I think we all should come together to put an end to desecration of 'Sanathana Dharma' in any form," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video clip in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was seen saying that previously animal fat was used in consecrated sweets--'Tirupati Prasadam' instead of 'Ghee' at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

CM Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy in the matter.

In a post on X, Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh said that he was shocked by the findings and added, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam."

"Shame on YS Jagan and the YSR party government that couldn't respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," he added.

Citing a copy of a "lab report," TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged earlier that "beef tallow and animal fat—lard and fish oil--were used in the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala."

"The lab reports of samples that were sent for testing to the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee that was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7. The Hindu religion is offended by this. The 'prasadam' which is offered to the Lord thrice a day has been mixed with this ghee," Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged.

"We hope that justice will be done and Lord Govinda will forgive us for whatever mistakes have been committed," he said. (ANI)