Tirupati laddu row: Every Hindu of India needs to wake up, says BJP's Madhvi Latha

HYDERABAD: Amid the row over adulteration in the ghee used for preparing prasad at Tirumala Tirupati shrine in Andhra Pradesh, BJP leader Kompella Madhavi Latha said that devotees come to worship at Tirupati from far away and their 'aastha' (faith) has become impure after the disclosure.

Talking to PTI, she said, "Every Hindu of India needs to wake up. In the south, there is Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam which many people know as Lord Balaji. Many devotees come there from far away to seek blessings. It has been insulted and made impure. God can never be impure but our ‘aastha’ has become impure."

Earlier on Friday, Karnataka government issued a direction for notified temples across the state to use 'pure Nandini ghee' for preparing prasadam nd other services.

This directive follows a day Telugu Desam Party cited a laboratory report supporting the claims made by Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu regarding the use of animal fat in the preparation of the renowned Tirumala laddu during the tenure of the previous government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

A lab test report confirmed the presence of animal fat in the ghee used to prepare the famous Tirumala laddu during the term of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

According to the report, fish oil, beef tallow and lard was found in the sample of the prasad during the examination.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of mixing animal fat in the ghee used to prepare the prasad during its term.

"They (YSRCP govt) have spoiled the quality of the free food service and did not even leave Lord Venkateswara's laddu by using substandard ingredients," he said.

Naidu said that he was astonished to find that poor quality material was used to prepare Lord Venkateswara's 'prasadam.'

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search