Karnataka mandates use of Nandini ghee at all 34,000 Temples
- In Reports
- 09:03 PM, Sep 21, 2024
- Myind Staff
In light of the controversy surrounding the use of animal fat in ghee at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, the Karnataka government issued a directive on September 20 mandating the use of Nandini brand ghee in all 34,000 temples managed by the state’s temple administration. This new policy requires that Nandini ghee, produced by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), be used for various temple rituals, including lighting lamps, preparing ‘prasada,’ and in ‘Dasoha Bhavans,’ where devotees are served food.
The circular states, "In all the notified temples under the Religious Endowment Department of Karnataka State, it has been directed to use only Nandini Ghee for services, lamps, and the preparation of all types of prasada, as well as in Dasoha Bhavans. It has been emphasised that the quality of prasada prepared in the temples should be maintained." This directive underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring consistent quality in religious offerings while addressing the recent controversy.
This directive follows a broader controversy regarding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee for preparing laddus at the renowned Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati, which is managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The issue first surfaced earlier this week when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed concerns about the quality of ghee being used at the temple, claiming that some samples had tested positive for lard and other animal fats. This has sparked significant public debate and led to the Karnataka government's swift action to ensure the exclusive use of Nandini ghee in its temples.
The kitchen at the Tirupati temple, known for producing approximately 300,000 laddus each day, requires vast quantities of ingredients, including around 15,000 kg of ghee, along with other essentials like cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom, gram flour, and sugar. Reports indicate that a significant portion of the ghee in question was sourced from Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu. This has raised concerns and contributed to the ongoing controversy regarding the quality and composition of the ingredients used in these religious offerings.
The controversy escalated rapidly, putting opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy in the spotlight. He faced accusations that during his tenure as Chief Minister, substandard ghee was used for making Tirupati laddus, with claims suggesting that animal fat had been substituted for traditional ghee. Mr. Reddy strongly refuted these allegations, accusing the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of manipulating the situation for political gain.
As tensions mounted, the issue reached the Supreme Court, where a petition was filed asserting that the use of animal fats in temple food violated Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects the right to freedom of religion and practice. In response, the Health Ministry demanded a comprehensive report on the matter, while Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for a thorough investigation, insisting that "the culprit should be punished." This sequence of events reflects the significant legal and political implications surrounding the controversy.
As tensions escalated, temple authorities accused their ghee supplier of taking advantage of the temple's lack of in-house food testing facilities. They argued that the absence of proper quality control measures left the temple susceptible to such scandals. Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, which had supplied ghee to the temple in June and July, defended itself, stating that its product had passed multiple lab tests and constituted only 0.01 percent of the temple's total ghee supply.
The situation intensified further when a report from a Gujarat state-run laboratory emerged, indicating that samples of ghee used at the Tirupati temple tested positive for fish oil, beef tallow, and lard, a type of pig fat. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu remarked, "Even Tirupati laddu was made with substandard ingredients... they used animal fat instead of ghee," amplifying concerns over the quality of offerings at one of India’s most revered temples. This series of revelations has not only sparked outrage but has also raised significant questions about the integrity of the temple's food supply chain.
He vowed that his administration had raised the quality standards for all temple ingredients and announced plans for a comprehensive sanitisation process at the temple. Adding to the controversy, his son, Andhra IT Minister Nara Lokesh, suggested that the uproar was linked to an anti-corruption investigation into the procurement of ghee and vegetables used for temple offerings.
In response, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, launched a counteroffensive, accusing the TDP of pursuing a political vendetta. Former TTD Chairperson Y.V. Subba Reddy dismissed the allegations as "unimaginable," while ex-Chairperson Karunakar Reddy described the scandal as part of a smear campaign. These back-and-forth underscores the escalating political tensions surrounding the issue, with both sides seeking to defend their reputations amid growing public scrutiny.
Image source: News Live
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