Despite the change in venue, huge confusion till almost the last moment and lack of facilities, more than 40,000 people took the fish prasadam when its distribution wound up at Kattedan sports stadium in Ranga Reddy district on Saturday morning. Officials said this is a marginal increase over last year, when less than 40,000 people took the prasadam.
However, the Bathini Goud family claimed that they administered fish prasadam to over 1 lakh asthma patients, while another 10,000 vegetarians took the jaggery prasadam. Ranga Reddy district collector Mr V. Seshadri said barring a stampede-like incident due to the rush at the venue, the event went off smoothly. “Though there were just five counters initially, we increased it to 25. People found it easy to have the prasadam after that.’’
Asthma patients and those with breathing disorders poured into Kattedan sports stadium even after the event drew to a close on Saturday. Though a large number of people went back without taking fish prasadam due to the rush and lack of arrangements, people from various parts of the country and many from abroad arrived at the venue, despite doubts raised over its efficacy by some non-governmental organisations.
Jana Vignana Vedika, an NGO, had moved court a few years ago, raising doubts over the efficacy of “secret medicine” stuffed in the mouth of live murrel fingerling and then pushed down the throat of patients. The High Court cleared the case after Bathini Goud family disclosed contents of the medicine. It is called “prasadam” since then.