Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Ayodhya temple, on September 20 said that ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to devotees at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya earlier this year, news agency PTI reported.
The chief priest confirmed that 300 kgs of 'prasad' from the Tirupati temple was handed out to devotees during the Ram temple consecration ceremony or pran pratishtha in January.
His comments came amid a row over the alleged usage of animal fat in Tirupati laddu prasadam. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu sparked controversy by claiming animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus during the previous government's tenure. The opposition YSRCP accused Naidu of making "heinous allegations" for political gains, while Naidu's TDP circulated a lab report to support the claim.
On Friday, the chief priest of Ayodhya temple expressed outrage over the alleged discovery of animal fat in ghee used to prepare 'prasad' (laddoos) of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati.
"If animal fat was mixed in the 'prasad', it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against people involved in it," Das was quoted as saying by PTI.
Terming it as a “mockery of Hindu faith”, Das called for an investigation into the case and demanded strict action against those found guilty.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) also responded strongly to allegations. It demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government hand over the control and management of the temple to the Hindu society.
VHP secretary general Bajrang Bagda also pitched for “freeing” all temples and other Hindu religious places from the government control across the country, as he demanded legal action against those allegedly involved in desecrating Tirupati laddu prasadam.
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