Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena Party Chief Pawan Kalyan has once again pushed for the formation of a Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board, calling it "the need of the hour". Drawing a parallel with the Waqf Board, he asked, "If there is a Waqf Board, why not the Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board? It is the need of the hour, and it should be taken forward."
Kalyan first raised this demand in September 2024, during a heated controversy over the alleged presence of animal fat in Tirupati temple laddus. The ruling Telugu Desam Party claimed that lab tests from Gujarat indicated the presence of “beef tallow,” “pig lard,” and fish oil in the laddus—an allegation that sparked outrage among devotees.
At the time, Kalyan took to X, stating, "…the time has come to constitute a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at a National level to look into all the issues related to temples in entire Bharath." He further wrote, "I think we all should come together to put an end to desecration of ‘Sanatana Dharma’ in any form."
The actor-turned-politician’s stance on protecting Sanatana Dharma has been a recurring theme in his speeches. In November 2024, he announced the formation of the ‘Narasimha Varahi Brigade,’ a dedicated wing within Janasena aimed at protecting Sanatana Dharma. The announcement came as he launched the ‘Deepam-2’ free cooking gas cylinder scheme in Jagannadhapuram village.
Addressing the gathering, Kalyan made his position clear: "I respect all religions, but I stand firm on my faith. Those who criticize Sanatana Dharma on social media or speak disrespectfully about it will have to face the consequences. Thus, I am establishing a dedicated wing within our party named the ‘Narasimha Varahi Brigade’ for the protection of Sanatana Dharma."