News Brief
Animal Fat Instead Of Ghee Was Used In Tirupati Laddus Under Jagan Government, Alleges Andhra CM Naidu; YSRCP Denies Claim
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. (Mohd Zakir/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Controversy has erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos during the tenure of the previous YSR Congress government.
The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party dismissed the claim and termed it malicious.
Speaking at an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday (18 September), Naidu, who returned to power in June with the support of Jana Sena and the BJP, claimed that the famed Tirupati laddoos, distributed as 'prasad' at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, were made using animal fat under the Jagan Reddy government.
The temple falls under the management of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
YSR Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Y V Subba Reddy fired back at Naidu, accusing him of harming the sanctity of the Tirumala temple through his remarks.
"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," 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.
