Tirupati Laddu Controversy
Vijayawada, September 24, 2024:
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan visited the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada on Tuesday to commence a purification ritual as part of his 11-day ‘Prayaschitta Diksha.’
The act of penance comes in response to allegations that animal fat was used in the preparation of the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam under the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.
In a statement made on Sunday, Kalyan condemned the desecration of temples and demanded accountability, alleging that during YSRCP’s tenure, 219 temples were destroyed.
“We will not tolerate this, and strict action will be taken. Hindu devotees must speak out. What was once sacred has been desecrated. The guilty must face punishment,” Kalyan declared.
Kalyan had earlier announced his 11-day fast via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he seeks forgiveness from Lord Balaji over the alleged impurity in the sacred prasadam.
He expressed deep personal anguish, saying, “I feel cheated from within.
As an act of penance, I am taking a vow to fast for eleven days and will seek personal darshan of Lord Balaji in Tirupati on October 1 and 2 to complete my atonement.”
The Deputy CM accused the previous government of altering the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board for political gain, leading to multiple irregularities, including the desecration of temples and changes to traditional worship protocols.
“The distribution of prasadam has been a sacred tradition for over a century. Under the YSRCP rule, the TTD board was altered, and scams emerged through the Sri Venkateswara Trust. Over 300 temples have been desecrated,” he added.
Kalyan also alleged that laddus distributed to Ayodhya had been contaminated during the YSRCP regime.
He claimed that temple authorities had failed to maintain strict protocols, with reports of animal fats, such as fish oil and beef tallow, being used in the prasadam.
The controversy escalated last week when former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that substandard ingredients, including animal fats, were used in the preparation of the sacred Tirupati Laddu during YSRCP’s tenure.
