The YSRCP is in big trouble. The ongoing controversy over the adulteration of raw materials, like ghee, used in preparing the 'prasadam' at the highly revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, is refusing to quell. And at the core of this is Jagan Mohan Reddy's involvement in temple affairs.
Today, deputy chief minister of the state, Pawan Kalyan came down heavily on Jagan and his party, and has claimed that the management of temple affairs under the previous YSRCP government had led to many 'illicit' activities inside the temple complex, which affected the sanctity of the place.
"When people of no commitment and no value and no respect for the sanctity of the temple, if they take charge this is what happens...It is not just about prasad, maybe liquor and non-veg was supplied, people were having parties there," Kalyan said.
Kalyan further pointed out that the ghee used was very cheap, and ghee is usually not found cheap.
"You need 15,000 kgs of ghee per day to make prasad. They claim that they changed vendors because it is Rs 1000 plus something and they changed and brought it down. They said that they supply was given to them at Rs 360-400. Ghee is made at a high price. So, how could they source such cheap ghee," he asked.
Kalyan further alleged that people for long have been complaining about the quality of the prasadam, with many saying that a certain foul smell used to come from it, which is not natural.
"People were complaining regularly about the smell which is not usual with the prasad," Kalyan alleged.
Earlier in the day today, Tamil Nadu-based A R Dairy, which had the contract to supply ghee, resolutely refused the allegations.
"First of all, the NDDB lab test report does not say that the ghee sample was from A R Diary. The report also mentions that there is a possibility of false positive results. TTD accepted the tankers of ghee we provided this June and July only after test reports were to their satisfaction. We stopped supplying after July as TTD changed the vendors. There are a number of reasons why traces of foreign fat may be found in ghee, including cow feed," a top executive from the company told media persons today.