Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has started an 11-day ritual fast till October 1, after which he plans to visit Tirumala to seek forgiveness of Lord Venkateswara

As he began his 11-day penance, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said, "As I undertake this 11-day penance ritual, I apologise to Lord Venkateswara. We shouldn't remain silent when Hindu temples are desecrated. If this happened in mosques or churches, the nation would erupt."

State Minister for Tourism, Religion and Culture Satpal Maharaj directed officials to take necessary steps to maintain purity of the prasad.

Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has embarked on an 11-day penance ritual following the controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in the Tirumala laddus. He expressed his regret for not detecting the issue earlier and called the incident a "stain on the Hindu race.