Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday said he was “deeply distressed” over the detection of animal fat in Tirupati temple prasad and suggested that a “sanatana” national board be set up to look into issues related to temples. His remarks came two days after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not spare even the Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard material and animal fat to make laddus.
Kalyan posted on ‘X’, “We are all deeply disturbed by the issue of animal fat (fish oil, pork fat and beef fat) being mixed in Tirupati Balaji’s prasad. The TTD board formed by the YSRCP government will have to answer many questions.” The Janasena Party chief (Kalyan) said that the time has come to form a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshan Board’ at the national level to look into issues related to temples in the country. He said, “There should be a discussion at the national level between all policy makers, religious heads, judiciary, citizens and others from concerned fields.”
Actor-turned-politician Kalyan said the state government is committed to taking strict action against those responsible for the adulterated laddus and the case brings to the fore issues related to the alleged desecration of temples, their land and other traditional rituals. Kalyan appealed to everyone to come together to put a full stop to any form of desecration of ‘Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)’.