Free temples from state control, demands VHP

Hyderabad: The sacrilege committed by the previous YSRCP government by using ghee adulterated with animal fat in the making of Tirumala laddu is taking a new dimension. The focus is now shifting towards intensifying the demand for making Hindu temples free from state control and also to have Gowshalas at all major temples so that they can produce pure cow ghee.

This move would begin from Telangana, according to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. It proposes to organise a nationwide agitation in a phased manner. First, all the state VHP units will stage peaceful protests before the District Collectorates on Monday in Telangana. The VHP would demand a judicial probe into the adulteration of Tirumala laddu prasadam by a sitting judge.

It would also demand that the Central and state governments should immediately remove people belonging to other religions employed in the temples.

The VHP would also demand that the temple lands reclaimed and free the government’s control over the Hindu temples and endowments by scrapping Hindu Religious and Endowments Departments and hand over the temple management to the Dharma Parishad, led by the head of Hindu Mutts and Swamijis and devotees.

In the second phase, the agitation would be extended to Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country.

In the meantime, the issue of adulteration of ghee used in the making of Tirumala laddu prasadam is having its impact across the country. The temple authorities in Prayagraj had asked the devotees not to bring sweets or other cooked food purchased from outside for ‘Bhog’ into temples. They said, instead the devotees should bring coconuts, fruits and dry fruits.