“They have played with sentiments of people,” Union Minister BL Verma on Tirupati Prasadam row

New Delhi [India], September 21 (ANI): Reacting to the alleged presence of animal fat in the ghee used for preparing the laddu prasadam at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, Union Minister BL Verma said on Saturday that action should be taken against those responsible.

“It is very sad as people from across the country offer prayers at Venkateshwara temple. They are not just criminals, they have played with the sentiments of people. Action should be taken against those responsible,” Verma told ANI.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu called it a matter of people’s faith and said the allegations have hurt the sentiments of devotees.

Speaking to ANI, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said, “This (Tirupati Prasadam issue) is a matter related to the faith, there should be no ifs and buts. I want these things to be false, as it hurts people’s sentiments. We also go there. If the Union Health Minister has said that an inquiry will be done, it must be welcomed.”

BJP leader Nalin Kohli also called it a “concerning” matter, and it has shocked every devotee. He also demanded an investigation into the matter.

“This is a very concerning matter. Such allegations would shock any Hindu. Tirupati, is a place that has a lot of devotees. Its prasad is famous even abroad…The news of adulteration in its prasad shocks everyone. An investigation must be conducted into this matter, and the truth must come out,” Kohli said.

Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Tirumala hills at Tirupati in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh.

The row erupted 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 have 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.

YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday said that he will write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and claimed that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has twisted the facts.

The YSRCP also moved to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, demanding an investigation into the claims made by the ruling party.

The lawyers representing the YSRCP requested the court that either a sitting judge or a committee should be appointed by the High Court to investigate the claims made by the Chief Minister.

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.

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.”

Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Tirumala hills at Tirupati in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh.