Shankaracharya Raises Concerns Over Tirupati Prasadam Controversy and Cow Slaughter

Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati criticized the administrators of Tirupati Balaji temple over an alleged 'prasadam' adulteration incident. In Lucknow, he expressed concern over cow slaughter and accused the NDA of cheating Hindus. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party targeted the BJP for alleged corruption and hypocrisy in cow protection efforts.

Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand criticized the administrators of Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati Balaji temple over a 'prasadam' controversy.

''Such a big incident has happened... The trustees of Tirupati temple, the functionaries, those senior officers, all are guilty. Even if the role of a third person emerges during the investigation, prima facie they are the ones who are guilty,'' the Shankaracharya said while addressing reporters in Lucknow on Monday.

Responding to a query about the alleged adulteration in Tirupati temple's 'laddu' prasad, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand voiced his concerns.

Visiting Lucknow as part of his nationwide 'Gau Raksha Yatra', he began on Sunday from Ayodhya, he refrained from visiting the Ram temple consecrated earlier this year, calling it incomplete. He also demanded a law to check cow slaughter.

Criticizing the NDA for its inaction on cow slaughter, he said, ''They have cheated the Hindus.'' He added that if the country's leaders were ''real Hindus,'' they would have stopped cow slaughter.

The Samajwadi Party targeted the government via social media, alleging corruption and hypocrisy in cow protection efforts. State BJP spokesperson Aalok Verma defended the party, emphasizing cow protection measures implemented since 2017 and calling for a thorough investigation into the Tirupati 'prasadam' controversy.

(With inputs from agencies.)