Political row erupts in India over claims of animal fat in temple sweets
Calls grow for an independent investigation as allegations of beef and pork fat in sacred confectionery spark a ‘political slugfest’
The row erupted after the state’s chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, accused his predecessor, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, of sacrilege for negligently allowing animal fat to be mixed into the “laddus” – a confectionery considered a blessed offering, or prasadam – at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati.
Naidu said laboratory tests confirmed the presence of animal fat in the clarified butter, or ghee, used to make the sacred sweets, following widespread complaints about their taste.
“People are saying that their sentiments were hurt following allegations of the presence of animal fat in the laddus. When their sentiments were hurt, should I spare them [culprits] when unpardonable mistakes were committed?” Naidu reportedly told a public meeting last week.
The Tirupati laddus are prepared in the temple’s kitchen, with ingredients supplied by external vendors. Devotees flock to the temple annually, often sharing the prasadam with friends and family. The laddus even hold a “geographical indication” tag, signifying their unique origin and authenticating them as a form of intellectual property.
The temple in Tirupati is revered as one of the holiest in India. Consuming a beef ingredient is considered sacrilegious by Hindus. One of the largest mutinies against British rule in India was sparked in 1857 by allegations that soldiers were using rifle cartridges greased with cow fat.