A complaint has been filed against Selvakumar and Vinoj P Selvam, two BJP functionaries, who claimed that ghee from AR Dairy was supplied to the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple in Palani, Tamil Nadu. The leaders had claimed that the ghee was used in the production of ‘Panchamirtham’ (Prasad) at the temple.
The complaint was filed against the BJP leaders by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE), a Tamil Nadu government body that manages the temple administration in the state.
AR Dairy recently made news in light of the controversy surrounding the laddoos distributed at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. A report by NDDB CALF, a private laboratory focused on testing animal feed and milk and milk products, revealed that the samples of the ghee used in making Tirupati laddoos contained foreign fat, including palm oil, fish oil, beef tallow and lard.
Sekar Babu, Hindu Religious and Endowment Board Minister, rejected the claim made by the BJP fuctionaries and said that the ghee for the Palani temple and temples across Tamil Nadu for prasadam production is only procured from Aavin, a state government cooperative.
“In Palani, only Aavin ghee is used. When the need increases, it is acquired from a private company which is not the company that is facing complaints now. Panchamirtham is of high quality and all tests are constantly done”, assured Babu.
He also threatened legal action against those spreading “fake news” and accused Selvakumar and Selvam of engaging in “mischievous propaganda”.
“One of the first orders issued by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in 2021 is that the ghee used for temple Prasadam should be procured from Aavin and the circular has been issued. Selvakumar and Vinoj P Selvam from BJP attempted mischievous propaganda and a complaint has been given to the police,” Babu said.
The Superintendent who monitors Panchamirtham production has filed the complaint.
“Chief Minister Stalin is constituting new schemes for HR&CE. One of them was World Murugan Conference conducted and people from across the world who pray to the Thamizh Kadavul Murugan have praised the Chief Minister. To tarnish such appreciation, a gang is roaming around to connect any problem occurring anywhere to him. But their dreams will never become reality”, stated Sekar Babu.
The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, had alleged that the ghee used in making the laddoos at the Tirupati Temple, contained animal fat and fish oil.
AR Dairy, one of the many suppliers of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), had denied the allegations of adulteration and said it has challenged the findings.
