As the Tirupati laddu controversy ignites further, Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has termed it as an organised crime and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
Speaking to the media, he said the usage of the word ‘controversy’ was wrong as the issue is much bigger and deeper. He reminded the reporter of Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier of the British Army, who refused to open a cartridge from his mouth as if contained beef.
“One Mangal Pandey was asked to open cartridge from the mouth, there was a revolution in the country. Today, it was put in the mouths of crores of Indians. It is not a small thing. It is a big betrayal to the Hindu community,” he said.
Pressing for an investigation, he said that almost a week had gone by since Andhra chief minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged the presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddus but nothing concrete has come out.
“The investigation will be delayed and then other issues will be brought. We cannot forget this incident. This is a big crime, an organised crime, a crime against the Hindu community. Whoever is responsible, should be brought forward and strictly punished,” he said.
On September 19, Andhra chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous YSRCP government had used substandard ingredients and animal fat to make the world-renowned Tirupati laddu.
While Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and its chief Jagan Mohan Reddy have strongly denied Naidu’s claims, a purported lab report claimed the presence of “lard” (relating to pig fat) and fish oil in the samples.
On the wake of the controversy which is growing deeper each day, CM Naidu announced that all temples in the state will be sanitised.
Speaking to the media on September 21, Naidu said, “The Almighty does everything and we are only nominal. That is what I personally feel. Every religion has certain traditions and commitments, and the government needs to respect all of them.”
Jagan, on the other hand, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that the allegations levelled against him were nothing but to tarnish his party’s image. He strongly condemned Naidu for spreading malicious propaganda against him and his party. He pointed out that CM Naidu’s reckless and politically motivated statements have hurt the sentiments of devotees and tarnished the sanctity of the world-renowned Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
Meanwhile, a city-based lawyer has filed a complaint against former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman, Board members, and officials, alleging they allowed the use of low-quality ghee mixed with animal fat in the Tirupati laddus.
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