Pawan Kalyan Meets TTD EO, Enquires About Laddu Adulteration

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan today met TTD EO Shyamala Rao at his (Kalyan's) Mangalagiri camp office and enquired about the issue of adulterated ghee in the making of laddus. The EO explained that during the tenure of the previous governing council of the TTD adulteration of prasadam took place, and about the measures being taken now to rectify the mistakes. Kalyan then directed the EO to take strict action against those who allowed adulterated ghee. He made it clear that there should be no compromise on the sentiments of the devotees.

Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan took out an atonement fast at the Sri Dasavathara Venkateswara Swamy temple at Namburu in Guntur district. He reached the temple early in the morning. Later, special pujas were performed to Lord Venkateswara Swamy, and Kalyan received maladharana at the divya kshetram amidst vedic chants of the priests. He will be on an 1-day atonement fast.

Speaking to the media later, Pawan Kalyan made some sensational comments. He said that the TDP government was not blaming the previous government for political gains. "During the YSRCP regime, the worship practices of the Lord were changed. Money was collected through the Srivani Trust, and receipts were given for only Rs 500 even if Rs 10,000 was collected. I had been saying from the beginning that they are collecting more money. Now we also get to know that the laddu prasadam was adulterated. Also, more than 200 temples were destroyed during the YSRCP rule. The head of the idol of Lord Rama was chopped off at Ramatheertham. The chariot was set on fire in Antarvedi. The list goes on," he said.

Kalyan said that he did not expect adulteration to happen at this level. "The Tirumala laddu was found to be rich in fish oil and beef oil. That is a grave mistake. One lakh laddus mixed with beef and fish oil have gone to Ayodhya. I am not speaking for political gains. The culprits should be punished. I will not tolerate any wrongdoing. What has the TTD board been doing in the last five years? They have to come out and talk. Board members should not be only for darshans and contracts. If such uncleanness had taken place in churches or mosques, the country would have been in turmoil. If something like this had happened in a church or a mosque, Jagan would not have kept quiet. If it happens on Hindu temples, we have to talk about it. I will speak if crores of Hindus are insulted," he said.

Kalyan asked why the employees in Tirumala did not talk about what was happening either, and said that they had committed a great crime. He said there there needed to be a discussion on this in a cabinet meeting and then in the Assembly.

He said that CM Chandrababu Naidu would take a decision on seeking a CBI investigation into the issue.