A.P. govt. to constitute SIT to probe ‘adulteration’ of ghee used in making Tirumala prasadam 

Government will bring a special legislation, if needed, to clean up the management systems at places of worship of all religions and induct credible persons belonging to only those religions on the administrative boards, says Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by a police officer of  the rank of Inspector General (IG), to inquire into the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of the prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala, and has expressed his resolve to initiate stringent action against those responsible for it.

Addressing the media at his residence on September 22 (Sunday), Mr. Naidu said the government would clean up the management system of places of worship of all religions by inducting credible persons belonging to only those religions on the administrative boards, and bring a special legislation for it if the situation warranted.

Purification rituals

To ward off the adverse impact of the alleged adulteration of the Tirumala prasadam on the world famous temple, the Chief Minister said priests and Vedic scholars would perform ‘santhi homam’ and ‘panchagavya prokshana’ (a ritual of purification) inside the temple from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on September 23 (Monday) on the basis of the advice of the Agama Salaha Mandali.

The purification would be done in all the temples in due course after finding if violations such as the one that allegedly lowered the sanctity of the Tirumala temple were committed.

Mr. Naidu said what had happened was deeply upsetting, but instead of tendering an apology for it, the former Chief Minister, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a false claim that no such offensive thing had taken place at the Tirumala temple during his tenure.

The government would also constitute committees in all the Hindu temples, comprising Agama pandits and other experts, to evolve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the rituals and traditions to be followed.

Mr. Naidu maintained that all the conditions related to the procurement of ghee and other ingredients, and testing protocols at Tirumala were diluted during the YSRCP regime.

‘Jagan ignored practices’

The Chief Minister further said that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy did not care for the established religious practices at Tirumala, whereas former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had expressed their faith, in writing.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy certified former TTD chairpersons Y.V. Subba Reddy and Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and former Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy as having no role in ghee adulteration, unmindful of the fact that they were evidently devout followers of Christianity.

Taking objection to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Naidu said it was ridiculous to attribute political motives to his revelation of the adulteration of ghee because he spoke about it at a meeting of the NDA.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy should not forget that hundreds of Hindu temples had been desecrated during the YSRCP term, Mr. Naidu said, recalling how his visit to the Ramatheertham temple to enquire into the desecration of the idol of Lord Rama there was scuttled.

Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar were present.

Published - September 22, 2024 10:03 pm IST