Tirupati prasad row: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar calls for committee of spiritual leaders for temple management

Geneva [Switzerland], September 22 (ANI): Spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, urged for the constitution of a committee of spiritual leaders to oversee matters related to temples.
In a self-made video, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar called for action against those who indulge in food adulteration.
"We have read in history books how in 1857, the sepoy mutiny happened. And now we see how the sentiments of Hindus are deeply wounded by this laddoo. This is something which cannot be pardoned, it cannot be forgiven. It's malicious and it is the height of greed of people who are involved in this process. So, they need to be punished severely. All their assets should be seized and they should be put in jail, whoever is remotely involved in this process. We need to check not just the laddoo but every food product. What about the ghee that is available in the market? Is anyone checking what they are putting in it? All those who adulterate food and put the mark that it is vegetarian and put any sort of non-veg stuff in it should be very strictly punished," Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said.
Stressing the constitution of the committee of spiritual leaders, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that the temples should also have boards similar to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Muslim body or Christian body.
"For the temple management, we need to see that it is under the supervision of saints, swamis and spiritual leaders. We need to have a committee of spiritual leaders - both north and south, they should oversee. Let there be a person from the government side as well but he has to be playing a minor role. But major decisions, supervision and everything should be done by religious boards like SGPC, like the Muslim body, like Christians body," he said.
On September 19, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stirred a political controversy after he claimed that the ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoo prasadam, offered at Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple in Tirupati, contained animal fat during the previous YSRCP government.
Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Tirumala hills of Andhra's Tirupati district.
Responding to the allegations, former Andhra CM and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the ruling TDP is politicising religious matters. The former CM said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice DY Chandrachund in this regard and accused CM Naidu of twisting the facts.
"The tender process occurs every six months, and the qualification criteria have not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL certificate and a product quality certificate. TTD collects samples from the ghee, and only products that pass certification are used. TDP is politicising religious matters. We have rejected the products in our regime 18 times," the former CM said.
Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh assured action into the matter and said Chief Minister will announce a policy to ensure this doesn't happen again.
Citing a July report of the presence of animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam Lokesh said that the analysis done by the government run lab "is clear" and that the allegations made by Anhdra Pradesh Chief Minister are "based on facts."
"Action will be taken. CM will make a statement on it (demand for CBI inquiry). Nobody will be spared but we will not drop this matter just with a CBI inquiry. Further steps have to be taken. We have to put a 'full stop' to this...Structural changes to ensure that this doesn't happen in the days to come have to be made, CM will announce the policy for it," Lokesh said. (ANI)