The Consumer Affairs Department will consider additional measures to monitor ghee quality in the market amid the ongoing controversy over the Tirupati laddu, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare announced on Monday. The department plans to take action only after receiving the report from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
"We will wait for its report," Khare stated during a media briefing on the Modi 3.0 government's 100-day achievements. She emphasised that food safety falls under the FSSAI's purview, adding, "We should all wait for the FSSAI to take action."
When asked about possible pre-festive season checks on ghee quality, Khare responded, "We will take more action, if required, after the FSSAI report and provided there are consumer complaints on the National Consumer Helpline." She clarified that food-related complaints received on the NCH are typically forwarded to FSSAI for action, given their expertise in the matter.
The controversy has sparked reactions across states. Karnataka has mandated testing of temple prasadam and specified the use of only Nandini ghee for the preparation. In Uttar Pradesh, the Food Safety and Drug Administration has collected 13 samples of 'prasadam' from prominent temples in Mathura for testing.
The issue came to light after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged on Sept. 18 that the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had used substandard ingredients and animal fat in Tirupati laddus. Naidu subsequently announced a Special Investigation Team to probe these claims.
As the controversy continues to reverberate nationwide, various quarters are demanding steps to safeguard the sanctity of Hindu temples and their 'prasadam'.
(With inputs from PTI)
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