Mice in prasad? Siddhivinayak temple responds to viral video allegations

In light of the allegations, the temple trust has taken immediate steps to investigate the matter. Sarvankar announced that the temple will review CCTV footage to ensure transparency and accuracy. An officer of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank has also been appointed to oversee the inquiry.

Amid concerns about the quality of prasad offered at temples, a viral video circulating on social media has raised allegations regarding the laddus distributed at the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. The video purportedly shows mice crawling over torn packets of laddus, sparking outrage and questions about the temple's hygiene practices. However, the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust (SSGT) has strongly refuted these claims and launched an investigation into the matter.

Responding to the viral footage, Sada Sarvankar, Shiv Sena leader and chairperson of SSGT, denied that the incident took place within the temple premises. Addressing a press conference, Sarvankar said, "Lakhs of laddus are distributed daily, and the place they are prepared is clean. The video shows a dirty place. I can see it is not of the temple and has been shot somewhere outside."

He asserted that the laddus are made in a hygienic environment and that the video in question does not reflect the temple’s cleanliness standards.

In light of the allegations, the temple trust has taken immediate steps to investigate the matter. Sarvankar announced that the temple will review CCTV footage to ensure transparency and accuracy. An officer of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank has also been appointed to oversee the inquiry.

"We are taking this matter seriously, and if anyone is found responsible for spreading false information, appropriate action will be taken," Sarvankar said.

He further reiterated the temple's commitment to maintaining strict hygiene and quality standards. In a previous press conference, he explained that the ingredients used in preparing the prasad, including ghee and cashews, are sent for testing at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lab before being used.

"We ensure that even the water used in the preparation is tested. We pay full attention to ensure that the prasad given to devotees is pure," he added.

He further stressed that the viral video did not depict the temple's facilities, saying, "This video is not from here. We have thoroughly checked the clip, and it appears to have been taken elsewhere."

The incident comes at a time when temple prasad quality has been under scrutiny. Recently, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of using substandard ingredients and animal fat in the preparation of Tirupati laddus.