Tirupati laddu row: I am an 'unapologetic Sanatani Hindu', declares Pawan Kalyan; reiterates 'animal fat in prasadam' claim

The Andhra deputy CM also objected to courts 'protecting those who insult Sanatan Dharma' and also pitched for Sanatana Dharma protection law and boards across country.

Hyderabad: Declaring himself as an unapologetic Sanatani Hindu, Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan on Thursday in the temple town of Tirupati released 'Varahi Declaration', demanding a Sanatan Dharma Parirakshana (Protection) law and a board at national and state levels to implement the safeguarding of Sanatana Dharma.

Kalyan also made strong remarks about the judiciary, asserting that courts provide security to those who insult Sanatan Dharma.

The minister cited the example of Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's previous remarks, which compared Sanatan Dharma to a virus and called for its eradication. He stated that courts nationwide react to insults to Islam, but they hesitate to respond to insults to Hindu gods.

He also trained his guns on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “Our opposition leader Rahul Gandhi wants the votes of Sanatani Hindus to be in power but doesn't respect Lord Rama. He compares the Ayodhya ram temple ceremony with Naach Gaana. You might hate Modi ji; you might hate us, but don't; you dare talk badly about Lord Sri Rama,” he said.

Pawan Kalyan also added that he was ready to let go of his life and political power to safeguard Sanatan Dharma.

In a high-pitched emotional tone, Pawan Kalyan said, “I will respect Islam, I will respect Christianity, I will respect Sikhism, I respect Buddhism, and all the other dharmas, but I am an unapologetic Sanatani Hindu. Let me be very clear to you all. Let me tell you to all the so called secularists who ridicule my Sanatan Dharma. I will safeguard my Sanatan Dharma with my life if it is attacked, trivialised, abused. If I have to lose everything including my life and my political position as deputy chief minister, I am ready to do so."

Pawan reiterates animal fat in ghee claim

While the Supreme Court is hearing the case related to the adulteration of cow ghee that is used to make the famous Tirupati laddu prasadam, Kalyan reiterated his claim that those laddus were made with ghee adulterated with animal fats, and one lakh such prasadam laddus were sent to Ayodhya during Lord Rama's temple consecration ceremony.

The Andhra deputy CM was in Tirupati to end his 11-day Prayaschith Deeksha at Tirumala Hill shrine.

After concluding the deeksha at Tirumala Temple on Wednesday, Pawan Kalyan on Thursday addressed a huge public meeting in Tirupati town and released the Varahi Declaration.

Pawan Kalyan called for the immediate implementation of a nationwide law in the Varahi Declaration. "We should establish a Sanatana Dharma Protection Board to enforce the law. The Sanatan Dharma Protection Board should receive annual funds. A system should be introduced to certify the quality of items used in Prasadams. Our temples flourished as centres of education, arts, and economy,” said Pawan Kalyan.

'Time has come for all Hindus to unite'

Pawan Kalyan asserted that secularism silences Hindus, while pseudo-secularists criticize Sanatan Dharma. He expressed anger that the number of critics of Sanatan Dharma and Hindu gods has increased, and that pseudo-secularists are not listening to the voices of Islamic countries.

He pointed out that no one speaks when Bangladesh declares itself an Islamic state and questioned if we should silently bear this pain.

Attributing it to the 'society's lack of unity and the division of Hindu society along caste and region lines', Kalyan sserted that the time has come for all Hindus to unite, expressing his anguish at the situation where Hindus are now afraid to even discuss their own religion. He emphasized that Sanatan Dharma is devoid of color and discrimination, and that Macaulay introduced this discrimination.