Siddhivinayak Temple Refutes Allegations of Mice in Prasad, Orders Probe

New Delhi: The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust (SSGT) has denied reports of contamination in their prasad after a viral video and photos circulated on social media showing mice crawling over prasad packets. Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena leader and SSGT chairperson Sada Sarvankar said, “Lakhs of laddus are distributed daily, and the place they are prepared is clean. ”The video shows a dirty place. I can see it is not of the temple and has been shot somewhere outside. A probe has been launched into the matter."

"We will check the CCTV, and an officer of DCP rank will be appointed to conduct an inquiry. Action will be taken against whoever is found guilty," he said.

Speaking at a press conference earlier, Sarvankar said the temple makes every effort to ensure the prasad is prepared in a clean place. "Ghee, cashew and other ingredients are first sent for testing at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's lab and used after approval," he said, adding that even water is tested at the lab.

"This means we pay full attention to ensure that the prasad given to devotees is pure," he said.

Amid the ongoing row over Tirupati laddus, a purported video of mice on the prasad packets of the Siddhivinayak Temple went viral on social media, sparking concerns. 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged on September 18 that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had used substandard ingredients and animal fat in Tirupati laddus. 

he country's food safety regulator has issued a show cause notice to a Tamil Nadu-based firm for allegedly supplying substandard ghee to temple authority Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam even as the chorus for a thorough probe and strict action over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus grew louder.

On Monday, a four-hour ritualistic sanitisation was carried out at the revered shrine to propitiate Lord Venkateswara Swamy after alleged "sacrilegious practices such as mixing animal fats" in making Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) and others, temple sources said.

More petitions were filed on the issue in the Supreme Court. Former minister and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy sought a court-monitored inquiry into the issue and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman and YSRCP MP Y V Subba Reddy, who has denied the allegations of adulteration, asked for a probe by an independent committee under a retired Supreme Court judge.

The apex body of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which met in Tirupati, also appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of Tirupati laddu adulteration allegations.