The controversy over the 'prasadam' offered in the revered Tirupati temple complex in Andhra Pradesh is refusing to die down. Backing strongly the ruling Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) claims that the laddoos offered to the deity and to the followers were made using animal fat, the temple trust of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala has now hit back at the former government in Andhra for 'destroying' the faith of millions by using adulterated items for the preparation of the sacred 'prasadam.'
"We collected all samples and sent it to the best lab, it is government-controlled, and the reports have come and are shocking," said Shamala Rao, Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam (TTD), the temple trust which runs the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple.
Rao also pointed out that Chandrababu Naidu, when he took over as chief minister earlier this year, had expressed his concerns that the quality of the laddoos offered as 'prasadam' to the presiding deity needs to be checked for quality.
"When I took over as executive officer TTD, the CM expressed concern on the ghee procured and the quality of the laddu which is considered to be very sacred and offered as 'Prasadam' to Lord Venkateswara Swamy. Any deviation in the quality will cause 'apavithram' (doing something which is not sacred)," he said.
Rao also added that following this controversy, the temple trust would even start its own lab where the quality of raw material could be checked and verified.
"We have found suppliers who have passed the tests... We have been asked by the expert committee to set up our own lab... This problem will be solved in the future," he said.
Ever since CM Naidu went public with his claims that animal fat, instead of pure ghee, was being used to make the laddoos in Tirupati, the incident has erupted into a huge row. YSRCP chief and former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy today offered his statement disavowing himself from the controversy. He blamed Naidu for creating 'diversionary' tactics by raking up the Tirupati issue.