Tirupati Laddu Row: Centre Takes Cognisance, Seeks Detailed Report From Andhra Pradesh Government

The Centre on Friday (20 September) sought a detailed report from the Andhra Pradesh government on the controversy over the use of adulterated ghee in Tirupati laddus.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda has asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for a "detailed report" on the issue, NDTV reported.

At a legislature party meeting in Vijayawada on Wednesday, marking 100 days of the NDA regime in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that ghee used in the prasadam at the Tirupati Tirumala temple during the previous YSR Congress Party's tenure was adulterated with animal fat.

Naidu’s claims sent shockwaves not just in Andhra but throughout India and sparked a political controversy.

YSR Congress Party leaders Y V Subba Reddy and Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, both former Chairpersons of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board, pushed back strongly against Naidu's claims.

"Chandrababu Naidu has severely damaged the sanctity of Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus. His comments are extremely malicious," stated Subba Reddy in Telugu post on X.

“To strengthen the faith of the devotees, I and my family are ready to take an oath before Bhagwan Venkateswara. Is Chandrababu also ready to take oath with his family?”, he added. 

Karunakar Reddy called the allegations a direct attack on the Hindu community. He emphasized that Tirumala Prasadam is prepared by Srivaishnava clan members, and dismissed any involvement by the trust board or its officials in the process.

On Thursday (19 September), TDP spokesperson Anam Venkatararamana Reddy made public copies of a document which he claimed was the report of the tests conducted on the prasadam at the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. This document says that the ‘sample’, which in the current case is the Tirupati prasadam, did indeed contain beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. 

Beef tallow is the fat of a cow and lard is the fat of pork. 

Naidu on Thursday vowed to uphold the religious sanctity of the Tirumala Tirupati temple.

"We will not tolerate irregularities and our efforts will ensure that the sanctity of the temple is upheld," he stated, as the new administration moves forward with rigorous testing and oversight of all food served to devotees.

Also Read: Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Chandrababu Naidu Government Begins Sanitisation Efforts At Tirumala