'Used animal fat instead of...': Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu accuses Jagan govt of 'adulterating' Tirupati Laddu prasadam

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday, alleged that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in making the Tirupati laddu, a consecrated sweet, during the previous YSRCP government.

The Tirupati Laddu prasadam is given at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). “Even Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients…they used animal fat instead of ghee,” claimed Naidu while addressing an NDA legislature party meeting here.

The CM asserted that pure ghee was now being used and everything had been sanitised at the temple, leading to improved quality. However, senior YSRCP leader and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy termed Naidu’s allegation “malicious” and said that the TDP supremo would “stoop to any level for political gain”.

Taking to X, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh targeted the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration over the issue. “The Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam,” he said in a post on X.

Targeting the erstwhile YSRCP government, Lokesh alleged that it could not respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees. YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subba Reddy, who served as the chairman of TTD for two terms, alleged that Naidu had severely damaged the sanctity of the holy Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus with his comments.

“His comments about the Tirumala prasadam are extremely malicious. No person would speak such words or make such accusations,” said Subba Reddy in a post on X. The former TTD chairman threw a challenge to the CM that he would take an oath over this issue along with his family before the deity to strengthen the faith of devotees and asked if Naidu would do the same.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)