Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan inspecting river Godavari to assess the pollution at Pushkar Ghat in Rajamahendravaram city on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Hyderabad:

Refusing to blame Telangana Police for the action against actor Allu Arjun in the theatre stampede case, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the law is equal for all and police must act with public safety in mind. Mr Kalyan, leader of NDA ally Janasena Party, praised Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as a “great leader” and suggested that Allu Arjun should have visited the family of the woman killed in the stampede earlier.

Speaking to reporters in an informal interaction at Mangalagiri, Mr Kalyan shared his perspective on the stampede incident at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre on December 4.

Allu Arjun visited the theatre where his movie Pushpa 2 was being screened. The film star’s visit led to chaos. A 35-year-old woman, Revathi, died in the incident and her son was injured. Soon after, Hyderabad police registered a case against Allu Arjun. He was arrested and granted bail shortly after.

Mr Kalyan today said it was important for law enforcement authorities to prioritise public safety. “The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind. That said, the theater staff should have informed Allu Arjun earlier about any issues. Once he sat in the seat, they should have instructed him to vacate it if necessary.”

Mr Kalyan is related to Allu Arjun. Allu Arjun’s aunt Surekha is married to renowned actor Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan’s elder brother.

“It would have been better if someone had visited the victim’s family earlier on behalf of Allu Arjun. Revathi’s death in this incident has deeply shocked me. They turned what was already lost into an even greater tragedy. We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter. Everyone should have gone to Revathi’s house to offer reassurance and condolences. The people’s anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident,” Mr Kalyan said.

Cinema, he said, is a collaborative effort. :It is not fair to make Allu Arjun solely responsible for the incident. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, in his capacity as Chief Minister, responded appropriately to the developments following the stampede. Sometimes, decisions are dictated by circumstances. In the past, even Chiranjeevi used to watch movies with his fans. Otherwise, he would wear a mask and go to the theater alone.”

The Andhra Deputy Chief Minister described Telangana Chief Minister Reddy as a leader who has risen from humble beginnings. “Telangana CM Revanth Reddy is a great leader, who has risen from humble beginnings. He did not do like YSRCP, but instead focused on providing benefits in his state. Flexibility was granted for increasing ticket prices, which boosted movie collections. Films like Salaar and Pushpa 2 achieved massive box office success with his cooperation.”

The Sandhya Theatre incident has divided public opinion, with many questioning how Allu Arjun could be blamed for the stampede death and another section arguing that he cannot escape accountability just because he is a film star.

Amid the face-off, a delegation from the Telugu film industry met Chief Minister Reddy. The Chief Minister, it is learnt, told the delegation that the industry has full support of the state government, but there will be no compromise on law and order. “As the Chief Minister, it is my responsibility to enforce the law. I do not have any personal preferences,” sources quoted the Chief Minister as saying.

Amaravati:

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s brother K. Naga Babu will join the state Cabinet, Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu announced this on Monday.

Naga Babu, elder brother of Pawan Kalyan and younger brother of megastar Chiranjeevi, is also an actor and film producer. As the general secretary of Jana Sena, he had actively campaigned for the party in the recent elections.

As the TDP named two candidates for bye-elections to Rajya Sabha and left one seat for its alliance partner BJP, it decided to accommodate another partner Jana Sena in the state Cabinet.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by TDP has 164 MLAs in the 175-member Assembly. The TDP has 135 members while Jana Sena and BJP have 21 and 8 seats respectively.

Naga Babu, also known as Nagendra Babu, will be the fourth minister from Jana Sena. Since Naga Babu is not a member of the Assembly, the coalition is likely to nominate him to the Legislative Council to pave for his induction in the State Cabinet.

Currently, Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, Nadendla Manohar and Kandula Durgesh are the ministers from Jana Sena in Chandrababu Naidu-led Cabinet.

The State Cabinet can have a maximum of 25 members. Chandrababu Naidu and 23 ministers had taken oath on June 12. The TDP had inducted three ministers from Jana Sena and one from BJP. One vacancy was left for Jana Sena.

The TDP had reportedly offered one Rajya Sabha seat to Jana Sena but Naga Babu was keen to become a minister. After leaving the Rajya Sabha seat for BJP, Chandrababu Naidu decided to include Naga Babu into the Cabinet.

Naga Babu has been working with Pawan Kalyan ever since he floated Jana Sena in 2014.

Both had earlier actively worked for Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) floated by their eldest brother Chiranjeevi in 2008. However, the party came a cropper in 2009 polls and two years later Chiranjeevi had merged it with the Congress party.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad:

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anita Vangalapudi has responded to criticism by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan – whose Jana Sena is allied with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party. Mr Kalyan had accused her of “incompetence” and warned he would take over her portfolio.

The warning came amid a spike in crimes against women and children.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Ms Vangalapudi refused to be alarmed by the harsh comment and said she viewed the Deputy Chief Minister’s words as encouragement and not criticism.

“Pawan Kalyan asked, ‘Will you not arrest if an accused belongs to a particular caste?’ I have taken his comments very positively. I have responsibility. I hold a critical portfolio. It is like he is backing me up, saying you can go ahead more aggressively,” she declared.

The Home Minister also said her critics – which now include opposition YSR Congress Party leader Roja, who has demanded Ms Vangalapudi’s resignation – had not understood the context of the remarks, and “are just thrilled that he (Mr Kalyan) said something about me…”

On Monday Pawan Kalyan, addressing a rally in his Pithapuram constituency, warned Ms Vangalapudi he would take over her portfolio if the law-and-order in the state does not improve.

READ | Pawan Kalyan Takes On Ally TDP, Warns Andhra Home Minister

The warning included praise for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s record in combating crime in his state, which recorded 65,743 cases of crimes against women in 2022 – the most of any state in the country – according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

“You (Ms Vangalapudi) are the Home Minister… discharge your duties well or I will be forced to take over Home Department as well,” Mr Kalyan – who has taken a hard right stance on topics, including the ‘sanatan dharm‘ row triggered by his Tamil Nadu counterpart, Udhayanidhi Stalin – declared.

“You need to be like Yogi Adityanath. MLAs are not just here to ask for votes. You have responsibilities too. Everybody needs to think… It is not that I cannot ask for or take over Home Department. If I do, things will be very different… we have to be like Yogi Adityanath.”

Jumping on his criticism, YSRCP leader Roja, who was the Tourism Minister in the previous Jagan Reddy government, demanded that Ms Vangalapudi resign.

“We have been saying this (what Mr Kalyan said). And now Deputy Chief Minister has said Home Minister has failed to ensure law and order in the state. In just 120 days (there have been) over 100 incidents of attacks on women. What is the Home Minister going to say about this?”

“Pawan Kalyan pointed to her incompetence. This government has not used the Disha mobile phone app (for women’s safety) or women-only police stations brought in by the YSRCP government. Will Home Minister resign?” she asked.

The fresh political storm comes close on the heels of allegations animal fat was used make laddoos, or devotional offerings, ‘fed’ to the deity and given to devotees at the temple in Tirupati.

Pawan Kalyan’s outburst – which included demanding action from the police and a warning to TDP and Jana Sena leaders to work together – followed a horrific crime in Tirupati district.

A four-year-old child was allegedly raped and murdered by a family member.

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Hyderabad:

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has taken on ally Telugu Desam Party’s Home Minister Anitha, accusing her of incompetence. He warned that unless there is improvement, he would be forced to “take over the home department as well”.

His warning came as crimes against women in the state saw a spike. The actor-politician said law and order has to be implemented the way it is done in Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh. 

“I am telling home minister Anitha too. You are the home minister. I am the Panchayati Raj minister, Forest and Environment minister. Discharge your duties well or I will be forced to take over home department as well,” he said at a rally.

“You need to be like Yogi Adityanath… Political leaders, MLAs are not just here to ask for votes. You have responsibilities too. Everybody needs to think. 

“It is not that I cannot ask for or take the home department. If I do, things will be very different for these people. We have to be like Yogi Adityanath. Otherwise they won’t change. So decide if you will change or not,” he added, to huge cheers from the audience. 

The Jana Sena chief, who has taken pro-right approach, recently announced the formation of ‘Narasimha Varahi Brigade,’ a dedicated wing within his party aimed at protecting Sanatana Dharma.

“I respect all religions, but I stand firm on my faith. Those who criticise Sanatana Dharma on social media or speak disrespectfully about it will have to face the consequences,” he had said on Saturday. 
 

New Delhi:

The row over animal fat (allegedly) in ghee used to make the Tirupati laddoos has ramped up after Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expanded on his ‘sanatan dharm‘ vow to jab (without naming) the DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin, his counterpart from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Mr Kalyan’s jab at Mr Stalin was swiftly rebutted, though, with DMK spokesperson Dr Syed Hafeezullah saying his party “does not talk about any religion, or Hinduism in particular” but “will continue to talk against caste atrocities, untouchability, and caste hierarchy”.

Speaking Thursday at the temple town Mr Kalyan described allegations of adulterated ghee in the laddoosas “the tip of the iceberg” of five years of YSR Congress misrule, in which “we don’t know how many crores of rupees they collected (in bribes)”. This must be investigated further, he said.

Mr Kalyan, however, walked back from directly linking or blaming former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying, “It is not just about the honourable Chief Minister… never, till today have I pointed to him and said, ‘he is the one… he is the perpetrator’. I am on record. Even now I am not blaming him.”

But while his attack on the YSRCP echoed those by his ally, the ruling TDP, it was his swipe at “a Tamil Nadu leader who says ‘sanatan dharm‘ is like a virus and must be destroyed” that made headlines.

The jab was inarguably directed at Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment in September last year; Mr Stalin had argued that ‘sanatan dharm‘ against the idea of social justice and compared it to viral diseases like malaria and dengue, declaring “it must be eradicated and not opposed”.

The remark triggered a political row since it came months before a general election; the BJP pounced on Mr Stalin, the DMK, and the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc (of which the Tamil party is a member), accusing them of calling for the ‘genocide’ of ‘sanatan dharm‘ practitioners.

On Thursday Mr Kalyan dug that remark out of cold storage, declaring, in Tamil, “Don’t say ‘sanatan dharm‘ is like a virus and (you) will destroy (it). Whoever said this, let me tell you sir… you cannot wipe out ‘sanatan dharm‘. If anyone tries… then you will be wiped out.”

“I am an unapologetic ‘sanatani‘ Hindu. Let me be very clear,” the Jana Sena Party boss, clad in saffron, thundered at a public rally at the temple town.

The DMK’s response was detailed and quick, calling out both Mr Kalyan and his boss, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, for comments heavily criticised last week by the Supreme Court.

DMK spokesperson Dr Hafeezullah also called Mr Kalyan, Mr Naidu and his TDP, and the BJP, which is an ally to both leaders, as “the real enemies of Hinduism and humanity”.

“DMK does not talk about any religion… it is the people from the BJP, TDP, and Pawan Kalyan who use religion and Hindu gods for political gains. They are the real enemies… this statement (by Mr Kalyan) is an attempt to divert attention from crores affected by their policies.”

“And, as far as the DMK’s stand on caste untouchability goes.. it is similar to that taken by Baba Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule, and Periyar, and other founders of the Dravidian movement. Whoever is promoting it… you can call it anything but DMK will continue to oppose these practices.”

READ | Pawan Kalyan Ends 11-Day Penance At Tirumala Temple

In the aftermath of the laddoos row Mr Kalyan has repeatedly called for a pan-India committee to protect ‘sanatan dharma’ and warned of the ‘desecration of ‘sanathan dharma’ in any form”. Declaring himself deeply offended, he went on a 11-day penance concluding Wednesday at Tirupati.

“Keep Gods Out Of Politics…”

The Supreme Court, he also said, had already criticised Chandrababu Naidu for jumping the gun about allegations of animal fat in Tirupati laddoo ghee; the court last week said religion and politics could not be allowed to mix and took a dim view of Mr Naidu’s comments on this topic.

READ | “Keep Gods Out Of Politics”: Supreme Court On Tirupati Laddoo Row

The court this morning ordered a special team – consisting of two CBI officers, two Andhra Pradesh Police personnel, and a senior official from the centre-run Food Safety and Standards Authority – to investigate the animal fat claims.

READ | “Matter Of Faith”: Top Court Orders Special Probe Into Laddoo Row

A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan said the court does not want ‘political drama’ on this topic since it represents an important matter of faith for millions of devotees worldwide.

NDTV Explains | How The Laddoos Made And How Ingredients Are Procured

The kitchen at Tirupati makes around three lakh laddoos daily, with around 1,500 kg of ghee and vast amounts of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar used.

Last month the Andhra government red-flagged a July report from a lab in Gujarat that said samples of the the ghee bought from a supplier in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard, which is a form of pig fat. The lab also added a disclaimer about “false positives”.

With input from agencies

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Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who has been championing the Tirupati laddoo issue and positioning himself as a protector of the Sanatana dharma, is on a three-hour footmarch to Tirumala as part of his 11-day penance. He had started the penance to appease Lord Venkateswara for the alleged adulteration of “laddoos” with animal fat. 

The Deputy Chief Minister has reached Tirupati and took the pedestrian pathway from Alipiri to Tirumala. He will stay overnight and go for the darshan tomorrow.  

“This is not just about one prasad issue (laddu adulteration). Maybe it came out. Maybe this was a triggering point to initiate this. Prayaschitta Deeksha (penance) is (the) commitment to take forward the protection of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). (It) is very essential,” he had told reporters before starting the journey.  

Following allegations that the laddoos were adulterated during the tenure of former Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, the Deputy Chief Minister has been on the warpath, taking on actors and others who have spoken lightly of the issue. 

Mr Kalyan’s boss, Chief Minister Chandrababu  Naidu, had announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the irregularities in the Tirupati temple body.

But after the Supreme Court asked the Solicitor General to assist the court with the opinion of the Central government on who should probe the matter, the SIT probe was stalled.

The Chief Minister had said he would “clean up” the system, alleging that the irregularities had crept in during the rule of the erstwhile YSRCP government. “Many not-so-sacred things were done at Tirumala” over the last five years, he had said.   

On September 19, a lab report from NDDB was released which said samples of the ghee from Tirupati tested positive for fish oil, beef tallow, and lard.

The matter erupted after the Chief Minister said on September 18 at a NDA Legislators meeting that animal fat had been used to make Tirupati laddoos.

A misunderstanding between Tamil Actor Karthi and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan over a comment on the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddoos has now come to a close. Mr Kalyan, who is the Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister and chief of the Jana Sena, has accepted Mr Karthi’s apology and wished him luck for his upcoming film, and the actor and his brother Suriya Sivakumar have thanked him. 

On Monday, Mr Karthi was attending an event in Hyderabad when he was asked to react to a few memes, including one on laddoos. With the controversy surrounding Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s allegation that animal fat had been used to make the famed Tirupati laddoos under the previous YSR Congress party government in the state still raging, Mr Karthi had said laddoos should not be discussed now because it is a sensitive topic.

Mr Kalyan, who is allied with Mr Naidu’s TDP as part of the NDA alliance in the state and at the Centre and is undertaking a ‘Prayaschitta Diksha’ (penance for atonement) over the adulteration, had taken offence to the actor’s remark.

“People are joking about the laddoo. I saw that in a film function, you said laddoo is a sensitive issue. Don’t you ever say that. Don’t you ever dare say that. I respect you as actors but when it comes to Sanatana Dharma, you have to think a hundred times before making any comment,” the deputy chief minister had said.

Mr Karthi had apologised to Mr Kalyan in a post on X on Tuesday and said that as a devotee of Lord Venkateswara – the deity to which the Tirupati temple is dedicated – he holds traditions dear. 

Dear @PawanKalyan sir, with deep respects to you, I apologize for any unintended misunderstanding caused. As a humble devotee of Lord Venkateswara, I always hold our traditions dear. Best regards.

— Karthi (@Karthi_Offl) September 24, 2024

Mr Kalyan responded the same day, appreciating Mr Kathi’s gesture and wishing him luck for his upcoming film ‘Meiyazhagan’. The Jana Sena chief also wished good luck to Mr Karthi’s brother, Suriya Sivakumar, who is the producer of the movie. 

“Dear @Karthi_Offl garu, I sincerely appreciate your kind gesture and swift response, as well as the respect you’ve shown towards our shared traditions. Matters concerning our sacred institutions, like Tirupati and its revered laddus, carry deep emotional weight for millions of devotees, and it’s essential for all of us to handle such topics with care,” the Andhra deputy chief minister wrote on X. 

Stating that their responsibility as public figures is to foster unity and respect, he added, “I would also like to express my admiration for you as a remarkable actor whose dedication and talent have consistently enriched our cinema.”

Thank you for your hearty wishes dear sir!

— Karthi (@Karthi_Offl) September 24, 2024

Mr Karthi responded with a “thank you for your hearty wishes”, as did Mr Sivakumar. 

Mr Kalyan is, however, still locked in a spat with actor Prakash Raj over the laddoo controversy. While Mr Raj has asked the actor-politician not to stoke communal tension, Mr Kalyan has hit out at the actor for questioning his secular credentials.

The simmering feud between Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and actor Prakash Raj over the alleged adulteration of the famed Tirupati laddoos has gone on the boil again. 

Actor-politician Kalyan, who is the chief of the Jana Sena and part of the ruling coalition in Andhra Pradesh as well as the Centre, had spoken out about the traces of animal fat in the form of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard (pig fat) allegedly found in the ghee used for the laddoos under the previous state government headed by YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. The allegation was originally made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. 

Reacting to Mr Kalyan’s comments, actor Prakash Raj had said that the politician is part of the ruling dispensation in the state and should focus on investigating the matter rather than stoking communal tensions. 

On Tuesday, Mr Kalyan went to the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada to perform a purification ritual as part of his 11-day ‘Prayaschitta Diksha’ (penance for atonement) over the adulteration and hit out at Mr Raj for questioning his secular credentials.

“I am addressing the sanctity of Hinduism and issues like food adulteration. Why should I not speak about these matters? I respect you Prakash Raj, and when it comes to secularism, it must be mutual. I do not understand why you are criticising me. Should I not speak out against attacks on Sanatana Dharma? Prakash should learn a lesson,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.  

“The film industry and others should not make light of this issue; I am very serious about Sanatana Dharma. Many critics have targeted Ayyappa and Goddess Saraswati. Sanatana Dharma is of utmost importance. Every Hindu should take responsibility in this regard. If similar issues arose in other religions, there would be a widespread agitation,” he added.

Mr Raj posted a video on X, saying that he had been misinterpreted and would reply to Mr Kalyan’s questions when he returned to India after a shoot. 

“Dear Pawan Kalyan garu, I saw your press meet. What I have said and what you have misinterpreted is surprising. I am shooting abroad; I will come back to reply your questions. Meanwhile, I would appreciate if you could go through my tweet earlier and understand,” he wrote with the video. 

Point, Counterpoint

On September 20, Mr Kalyan had said on X that many questions needed to be answered by the board of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) – the trust that manages the Tirupati temple – constituted by the YSR Congress government. 

“We are all deeply disturbed with the findings of animal fat (fish oil,pork fat and beef fat) mixed in Tirupathi Balaji Prasad. Many questions to be answered by the TTD board constituted by YCP Govt then… May be the time has come to constitute a  ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at a National level to look into all the issues related to temples in the entire Bharath… I think we all should come together to put an end to desecration of ‘Sanathana Dharma’ in any form,” he had posted on X.

Responding to the post, Mr Raj had advised Mr Kalyan to avoid “spreading apprehensions”.

“Dear @PawanKalyan…It has happened in a state where you are a DCM (deputy chief minister).. Please Investigate ..Find out the Culprits and take stringent action.  Why are you spreading apprehensions and blowing up the issue Nationally … We have enough Communal tensions in the Country,” he wrote. 

(With inputs from ANI)

Amaravati:

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Saturday said he will undertake an 11-day penance to propitiate Lord Venkateswara for the alleged adulteration of animal fats in Tirupati laddus.

The actor-politician said he will begin the ritualistic penance from Sunday at Sri Dasavatara Venkateswara Swamy temple at Namburu in Guntur district.

“After undertaking the 11-day penance, I will visit Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy,” said Mr Kalyan in a post on ‘X’, and appealed to the deity to grant him the power to do the ritualistic sanitisation to undo the alleged sins committed by the erstwhile YSRCP government.

ఏడుకొండలవాడా..! క్షమించు
•11 రోజులపాటు ప్రాయశ్చిత్త దీక్ష
అమృతతుల్యంగా… పరమ పవిత్రంగా భావించే తిరుమల లడ్డు ప్రసాదం- గత పాలకులు వికృత పోకడల ఫలితంగా అపవిత్రమైంది. జంతు అవశేషాలతో మాలిన్యమైంది. విశృంఖల మనస్కులే ఇటువంటి పాపానికి ఒడిగట్టగలరు. ఈ పాపాన్ని ఆదిలోనే పసిగట్టలేకపోవడం…

— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) September 21, 2024

Further, the Janasena founder wondered how Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) employees and board members could be oblivious to these alleged irregularities.

TTD is the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

During a recent NDA legislative party meeting, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making the popular Tirupati laddus, known for their unique taste.

Mr Naidu’s allegations sparked a massive public outcry across the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)