Telangana Vishwa Hindu Parishad demands strict action over Tirupati Prasad row

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 21 (ANI): Amid the controversy regarding the presence of animal fat in Tirupati Prasadam, Telangana Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded strict action on Thursday.

Speaking to ANI, VHP Vice President Ram Singh, said, “Vishwa Hindu Parishad is demanding that everyone involved in this should get immediately arrested and punished. If the government does not do that, then the Hindu organisation like Bjarang Dal, Sangh Parivar and the devotees of Balaji should take action.”

Ram Singh alleged that the people involved the alleged usage of Ghee, containing animal fat, did it for ‘business’.

“The ghee which had animal-fat was used because the ghee that usually is of Rs 800-1000 they got in Rs 380 per kg. They saw it as business, that’s why the old government fell. Now the government had to take the strict action; otherwise, they’ll encounter the same fate,” Ram Singh said.

Meanwhile, several opposition leaders have criticised the previous government of Andhra Pradesh amid the ongoing controversy and have called for action against those responsible.

Congress state president YS Sharmila said that they have asked the governor, S Abdul Nazeer, to initiate a CBI inquiry.

“Today we happen to come to the Raj Bhavan; we met the Governor today, asking him to initiate from his side to ask for CBI inquiry. He responded positively. We explained to him the two most important issues in this — the national dairy development board report said that fish oil, beef tallow, pig fat and ghee for ‘naivedyam’ were procured at the cost of Rs 1600 per kg. The ghee for Prasadam was procured for only Rs 320. We have demanded a CBI inquiry into this.We do not understand why Chandrababu Naidu held this fact from the people of Andhra Pradesh,” She said.

The row comes days after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus, a sweet offered at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, during the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government.

Reacting to the allegations, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged on Friday that the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) is “politicising religious matters.”

“The tender process occurs every six months, and the qualification criteria has not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL certificate and a product quality certificate. TTD collects samples from the ghee, and only products that pass certification are used. TDP is politicising religious matters. We have rejected the products in our regime 18 times,” the former CM said.