Devotees at the Ram Temple after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday (Sept 16). - Photo: ANI
NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing row over Tirupati laddus, Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, has reportedly confirmed that the ‘prasad’ from Tirupati Temple was distributed to devotees during the consecration ceremony.
According to reports, some 300 kilograms Tirupati Laddus were brought to Ayodhya for the distribution among devotees at the Ram Temple consecration ceremony earlier this year.
However, it was not immediately clear if the “laddus” were made of the adulterated ghee.
This comes amid a massive row over the the alleged use of poor quality ghee, containing animal fat and fish oil, while making the “laddus” in the Tirupati temple.
The row triggered after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the lab reports of the ghee used in making Tirupati Laddus confirmed traces of animal fat.
His party TDP alleged the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh cancelled the tender of Karnataka’s Nandini brand and gave it to AR Dairy Foods.
The AR Dairy Foods has however refuted the charges and claimed that ghee it supplied to the Tirupati temple was made from cow milk.
As the row escalated, the Centre and the State’s Food Safety Department officials raided the AR Dairy Foods factory in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has held the BJP, YSRCP and the TDP responsible for this.
Reacting to the row, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, “From the time I have heard about it, I am very sad.
"The allegations are being levelled by an ally of NDA, TDP National President and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu against a party who has been seen as an ally of BJP in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
"Both parties are closer to the BJP which has been in power for 10 years. Where was their intelligence?
"The sin that has been committed by those who talk about Sanatan Dharma, will not be forgiven.
"I hold the BJP, TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) responsible for it.” - The Statesman/ANN
