'Sanatana Dharma under attack': Pawan Kalyan calls for 'Rakshana Board' to protect Hinduism, stirs up a storm in Tirupati row

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has stirred up a storm after he called for the establishment of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ amidst growing controversy over the ingredients used in the famed Tirupati laddoos. The issue has intensified following claims that animal fat, including fish oil, pork, and beef fat, had been mixed into the sacred ‘prasadam’ offered at the Tirumala temple.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Jana Sena Party chief expressed his concern: "We are all deeply disturbed by the revelation that animal fat was allegedly found in the Tirupati Balaji Prasad. Many questions remain unanswered by the TTD board, which was constituted by the previous YCP government." Kalyan also assured that the Andhra Pradesh government would take stringent action in response to the findings.

He further emphasized the need for national-level action, advocating for the formation of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ to address temple-related concerns across India. “It’s time to establish a board to look into all temple matters in Bharath,” he stated, adding that the situation calls for a broader debate involving policymakers, religious leaders, the judiciary, citizens, and the media.

The controversy erupted after former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy administration had used animal fat instead of ghee in the preparation of the sacred laddoo ‘prasadam’. State minister and Telugu Desam Party national general secretary Nara Lokesh Naidu later confirmed to The Indian Express that lab tests on the ghee used had detected traces of fish oil and beef tallow.

Although the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) initially dismissed these allegations, they have remained silent since the Telugu Desam Party's social media platforms shared the purported test results on Thursday.

In his statement, Pawan Kalyan also pointed out that the controversy highlights deeper concerns, including the desecration of temples, disputes over temple lands, and other related issues of religious importance.