Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Pawan Kalyan Calls For Setting Up Of ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ In India To Safeguard Temples, Dharmic Practices

Andhra Pradesh minister and Janasena party chief Pawan Kalyan on Friday (20 September) called for setting up of ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ in India amid the ongoing controversy over the use of adulterated ghee in Tirupati laddus.

"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 to be answered by the TTD board constituted by YCP Govt then. Our Govt is committed to take stringent action possible," Pawan Kalyan wrote on X.

"But, this throws light on many issues surrounding desecration of temples, its land issues and other dharmic practices. 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 entire Bharath," he said.

"A debate has to happen at a National level by all the policy makers, 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," the noted Telugu movie actor added.

At a legislature party meeting in Vijayawada on Wednesday, marking 100 days of the NDA regime in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that ghee used in the prasadam at the Tirupati Tirumala temple during the previous YSR Congress Party's tenure was adulterated with animal fat.

Naidu’s claims sent shockwaves not just in Andhra but throughout India and sparked a political controversy.

YSR Congress Party leaders Y V Subba Reddy and Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, both former Chairpersons of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board, pushed back strongly against Naidu's claims.

"Chandrababu Naidu has severely damaged the sanctity of Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus. His comments are extremely malicious," stated Subba Reddy in Telugu post on X.

“To strengthen the faith of the devotees, I and my family are ready to take an oath before Bhagwan Venkateswara. Is Chandrababu also ready to take oath with his family?”, he added. 

Karunakar Reddy called the allegations a direct attack on the Hindu community. He emphasized that Tirumala Prasadam is prepared by Srivaishnava clan members, and dismissed any involvement by the trust board or its officials in the process.

On Thursday (19 September), TDP spokesperson Anam Venkatararamana Reddy made public copies of a document which he claimed was the report of the tests conducted on the prasadam at the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. This document says that the ‘sample’, which in the current case is the Tirupati prasadam, did indeed contain beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. 

Beef tallow is the fat of a cow and lard is the fat of pork.