The alleged presence of animal fat in the ghee used to prepare the laddu prasadam at the revered Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati has sparked a major controversy. In response, the Odisha government on Tuesday decided to test the quality of ghee used for preparation of offerings at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.Puri's District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said that though there have been no such allegations, the administration will test the quality of ghee being used for the preparation of 'Kotha Bhoga' (prasad for the deities) and 'Baradi Bhoga' (prasad on order) at the 12th-century shrine.He said the state-run Odisha Milk Federation (Omfed) is the only supplier of ghee for use in the Puri temple.
"However, a decision has been taken to examine the standard of ghee being supplied by Omfed to allay any fear of adulteration," he said, adding that discussions will be held with the Omfed as well as the temple's servitors who prepare the 'prasad'.Meanwhile, Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, a servitor, claimed that earlier adulterated ghee was found to be used for lighting 'diyas' or lamps on the temple premises. "That has been stopped. We will request the temple's chief administrator for a complete test of the ghee used here," he said, maintaining that the faith of devotes was very important.The Tirupati Laddu Prasadam came under the spotlight after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat was used in place of pure ghee, sparking concerns.However, Jagan Mohan Reddy refuted the allegations and has written to Prime Minister Modi asserting that no violation took place under his government and the entire controversy is unwarranted.Amid #Tirupati laddu controversy, Odisha government to test ghee quality
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) September 25, 2024
- Ghee at Jagannath temple to be tested.
It is as a precautionary measure that the government has decided to test the purity of ghee in Jagannath temple: @RishabhMPratap shares details with @Ankitprasad pic.twitter.com/uzgk11ND51
