Making a startling claim, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has said animal fat was used to make Tirupati laddoos under the previous government run by the YSR Congress. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party has rubbished the allegation and termed it malicious.
Addressing an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Mr Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party came to power in Andhra Pradesh in June in an alliance with the Jana Sena and the BJP, said animal fat was used to make the sought-after laddoos given as ‘prasad’ by the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati under the Jagan Reddy government. The temple is managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
“In the past 5 years, YSR Congress party leaders have tarnished the sanctity of Tirumala. They compromised on the quality of ‘Annadanam’ (free meals) and even contaminated the sacred Tirumala Laddu by using animal fat instead of ghee. This revelation has caused concern. However, we are now using pure ghee. We are striving to protect the sanctity of the TTD,” Mr Naidu said in Telugu.
Senior YSR Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy accused Mr Naidu of damaging the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine.
“Chandrababu Naidu has severely damaged the sanctity of Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus. His comments about the Tirumala prasad are extremely malicious. No person would speak such words or make such accusations,” Mr Reddy wrote in Telugu on X.
“It has been proven again that Chandrababu Naidu will stoop to any level for political gain. To strengthen the faith of the devotees, I, along with my family, am ready to take an oath before the almighty regarding the Tirumala ‘prasad’. Is Chandrababu Naidu willing to do the same with his family,” he asked.
