On 24th September, popular Tamil director Mohan G was arrested for making shocking claims that certain medicines were being mixed with “panchamirtham” (prasadam or religious offering) served at the Palani Temple which caused impotency in men. The claims were made during an interview on a YouTube channel while commenting on the Tirupati Temple prasadam controversy, where ghee adulterated with animal fat was allegedly used to prepare the famous Tirupati laddus. The cybercrime unit of the Trichy Police arrested Mohan G. Trichy District SP Varun Kumar said in a statement that the producer was arrested on Tuesday and brought to Trichy.
பழநி பஞ்சாமிர்தம் குறித்த சர்ச்சை கருத்து..! போலீசாரின் கைதுக்கு பின் நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு அழைத்துச்செல்லப்பட்ட மோகன் ஜி.. காரில் அமைதியாக அமர்ந்திருக்கும் காட்சிகள்..#Tiruchi | #Chennai | #Court | #MoganG | #Palani | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/zKfQJJT4vs
— Polimer News (@polimernews) September 24, 2024
Speaking on the controversy during the interview, he claimed that similar incidents had occurred in Tamil Nadu as well. Known for films like Rudrathandavam, Draupathi, and Begasuran, Mohan G said, “I heard that medicines causing impotency in men were mixed with panchamirtham. That news was hidden, and the panchamirtham was destroyed. We shouldn’t speak without proof, but no proper explanation was given. Those working there told me that birth control pills were used as an attack on Hindus.”
Reacting to the claims, Sekar Babu, Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments in Tamil Nadu, issued a warning, stating that strict action would be taken against those spreading false news about Palani Temple panchamirtham.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, condemned the arrest, calling it unconstitutional. BJP leader Ashwathaman Allimuthu alleged that the director’s family was not informed about the reason for the arrest. He said, “No formal information was given to the family about the cause or the case. This is against the Supreme Court order.”
சினிமா இயக்குனர் நண்பர் திரௌபதி மோகன் G @mohandreamer அவர்கள் சற்று முன் தமிழக காவல் துறையினரால் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார்.
— Ashvathaman Allimuthu (@asuvathaman) September 24, 2024
என்ன காரணம், எந்த வழக்கு என்று எந்த முறைப்படியான தகவலும் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு கூறப்படவில்லை. இது உச்சநீதிமன்ற ஆணைக்கு எதிரானது. அவர் எங்கு வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்… pic.twitter.com/kpHp3Kmffa
Tirupati Laddu Prasadam controversy
On 18 September Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration of using animal fat in making laddus served at the renowned Hindu temple during his address at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislative party meeting. “They (YSRC government) not only provided substandard food to the devotees, such as Anna Prasadam in Tirumala, but also used inferior quality ingredients to make Prasadam, which is offered to Lord Venkateswara. Instead of using pure ghee, they used animal fat,” he charged.
The chief minister further added, “Today, we are using pure ghee and cleansed the system in the temple. Quality of Prasadam and food have improved and steps are being taken to make further improvements.” His statement was eventually validated by the test findings. The conclusions drawn by the report revealed that there were residues of animal fat in the ghee used to prepare iconic Tirupati laddu prasadam. Furthermore, ingredients like soybean, sunflower, olive, rapeseed, linseed, wheat germ, maize germ, cotton seed, coconut, palm kernel fat, and palm oil were also used in making the laddus.
After that, a laboratory report emerged, which showed that ghee used by the Tirupati temple contained beef fat, pig fat, fish oil, and various types of plant-based oil, and the content of dairy fat was very low. The test was conducted by the National Dairy Development Board’s “Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food” (CALF) laboratory on behalf of Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam. TTD had decided to test the ghee after receiving multiple complaints about the deteriorating quality and taste of its famous laddus.
TTD has already started blacklisting the suppliers of ghee after the report came out.
