Tirupati laddu row: The Odisha government has decided to test the quality of ghee used for preparing offerings at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, an official said. This decision comes amid the row over the alleged use of animal fat in the ghee used for making laddus offered at the Tirumala Temple in Andhra Pradesh.
Puri's District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain clarified that while no allegations have been made regarding the ghee used at the Jagannath temple, the administration will test the quality of ghee being used for the preparation of 'Kotha Bhoga' (prasad for the deities) and 'Baradi Bhoga' (prasad on order) at the historic 12th-century shrine.
Omfed supply ghee at Jagannath temple
He further said that the state-run Odisha Milk Federation (Omfed) is the only supplier of ghee used in the Puri Jagannath temple. "However, a decision has been taken to examine the standard of ghee being supplied by Omfed to allay any fear of adulteration," he said, adding that discussions will be held with the Omfed as well as the temple's servitors who prepare the 'prasad'.
Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, a servitor at the Puri Jagannath temple, claimed that in the past, adulterated ghee was found to be used for lighting 'diyas' or lamps within the temple premises. "That has been stopped. We will request the temple's chief administrator for a complete test of the ghee used here," he said, maintaining that the faith of devotes was very important.
What is the controversy?
The issue came to light after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on September 18 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.
The Chief Minister subsequently announced the formation of the SIT to probe into the alleged incident in which the famous 'prasadam' contained "animal fat".
However, former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy refuted the allegation, saying that no violation took place under his government. The former Chief Minister also accused Naidu of doing "politics in the name of God".
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