Update (23 January 2023): On 18 January 2024, the Delhi High Court ordered the suspension of a website under the name of “Khadi Organic”. The court observed that the website was preying on the public’s religious beliefs and devotion and deceiving them into transferring money to its owners using the goodwill of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, a statutory body established for the promotion and development of textiles. Judgment copy can be seen here.
Update (19 January 2024):
After the recent discussion surrounding certain websites such as ‘Khaadi Organic’ and ‘Mandir Darshan’ providing online distribution of Ram Mandir Prasad, the trust has clarified that there is no official online Prasad distribution. The trust has also advised devotees to be cautious of unauthorized platforms that claim to offer sacred prasad. A trust member emphasized to the Times of India that “the trust has not designated any vendor or agency to handle the online distribution of prasad.”
Published on (17 January 2024):
A social media post claims that the government has introduced a website named ‘khadiorganic.com,’ to provide free Ram Mandir Prasad upon reservation following the consecration event (here & here). Further, the post suggests that devotees can have the prasad delivered to their homes. In this article, let’s get a low down on the initiative offering the Ram temple prasad.
Claim: Government has launched a website (khadiorganic.com) providing free Ram Mandir Prasad, following the consecration event on 22 January 2024 in Ayodhya.
Fact: Khadi Organic operates as a wholly private entity and has no affiliation with either the government or the Ram Janambhoomi Trust. The organization has emphasized that the initiative is not a scam, asserting that they are not gaining any profits from it. They further clarified that the collected amount will be donated to the Ram Mandir Trust. The organization stated that they blend the official prasad obtained from individuals with official invitations with the prasad prepared by the organization before distributing it nationwide. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set for 22 January 2024. According to reports, over 11,000 guests from various parts of the country have received invitations for the consecration ceremony. As a symbolic gesture, all attendees at the Ram Temple consecration will receive a token gift consisting of Ramraj (soil extracted during the temple’s foundation laying) and prasad. During a meeting, Prime Minister Modi urged the public not to overcrowd Ayodhya on the consecration day.
Given the unfolding events, there are assertions on social media suggesting that the government has launched a portal (Khadi Organic) to distribute prasad from the consecration day to devotees. It is important to note that “Khadi Organic” is unrelated to the Ram Janambhoomi Trust or any government institution.
Khadi Organic is a private entity:
According to reports, Khadi Organic has clarified that it operates as a fully private entity. The prasad offered by the company is not prepared or presented by the Ayodhya Ram Temple. In discussions with the media, Khadi Organic explained that they prepare the prasad, present it to the deity at the Ram Temple, and subsequently distribute this sacred offering among people across the country.
Moreover, they mentioned that their leader, Ashish Singh, had a dream where Lord Hanuman appeared and instructed him to distribute prasad for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Following this divine guidance, Ashish took on the responsibility of distributing free prasad to devotees of Lord Ram nationwide, initiating this campaign.
Is it fake/real?
In the beginning, the company took bookings for Prasad free of charge at specified collection points, such as district hospitals. However, as the demand for the complimentary prasad grew, the company transitioned to a door-to-door delivery service, with devotees incurring a delivery charge of Rs. 51. Presently, online bookings on the company’s website have been halted. This decision is attributed to the overwhelming demand and the negative narrative on social media resulting in the temporary suspension of online reservations.
Nevertheless, the initiative has sparked discussions on social media, with numerous users labeling it as a potential scam, especially when the company began charging delivery fees for the free prasad. In response to these allegations, Ashish Singh, the founder of Khadi Organic, emphasized that the initiative is not a scam, asserting that he is not gaining any profits from it. He clarified that the collected amount would be donated to the Ram Mandir Trust. Ashish Singh also provided explanations for the sequence of events that led some to perceive the initiative as a scam.
Notably, in the video, Ashish Singh mentioned that the organization is in touch with four individuals who possess official invitations to the consecration ceremony. He explained that the organization will acquire the official prasad, offered by the Ayodhya Ram Temple, from these individuals. They will then blend this official prasad with the one prepared by the organization before distributing it nationwide. Importantly, he underscored that the organization can only dispatch the prasad once they receive the official prasad from the aforementioned individuals, necessitating a wait until the consecration ceremony takes place.
To sum it up, Khadi Organic offering Ram Mandir Prasad has no affiliation with either the government or the Ram Janambhoomi Trust.
