Tirupati ghee scandal sparks call for national probe
A massive controversy has hit Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) after 68 lakh kg of allegedly adulterated ghee was supplied for prasadam between 2019 and 2024.
Mumbai-based advocate Hitendra Gandhi called it a "national betrayal of faith" and urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take suo motu cognisance, stressing the need to safeguard devotees' health and dignity.
What's behind the scandal?
Investigations found impurities like beef tallow in the ghee, with Bhole Baba Dairy Pvt Ltd linked to fake licenses and forged documents.
Both state and central agencies uncovered serious supply chain malpractice.
Gandhi now wants a national-level inquiry and has proposed a National Faith Food Safety Framework to keep religious food offerings safe in the future.