Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday claimed that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used to make laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati when the YSR Congress Party was in power, The Indian Express reported.
A laboratory test on Thursday confirmed the presence of fish oil and beef tallow in the ghee, claimed state minister Nara Lokesh, who is the chief minister’s son.
The YSR Congress, however, called the claims “malicious” and said that the chief minister would “stoop to any level for political gain”.
The laddoos are given as holy prasad, or offerings, at the temple, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.
The Telugu Desam Party is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. The YSR Congress Party, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, led the previous government in the state.
Naidu, while addressing a National Democratic Alliance meeting on Wednesday, alleged that animal fat was instead of ghee under the YSR Congress Party government, according to PTI.
Pure ghee was currently being used at the temple, the chief minister said, adding that everything had been sanitised at the temple to ensure improved quality.
Subsequently, the Telugu Desam Party also released a report from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food lab under the National Dairy Development Board, which it said confirmed the presence of animal fat in the ghee, Deccan Herald reported.
The ruling party’s spokesperson, Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy, said that a lab recognised by the Centre had confirmed the presence of animal fat used in the ghee used during the YSR Congress Party’s rule.
“Samples were sent to the lab on July 8, 2024 and the NDDB CALF lab provided a report on July 17,” he added, according to Deccan Herald.
Lokesh also said that he was “shocked to learn that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee” in the laddoos.
YSR Congress leader and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam chairperson YV Subba Reddy on Wednesday called the claims “malicious” and said that the chief minister severely damaged the sanctity of the temple and the faith of crores of Hindus with his comments.
“No person would speak such words or make such accusations,” he said in a post on X.
YV Subba Reddy, also claimed that the ghee for the temple was sourced for Rajasthan and that the previous government was committed to preserving the sanctity of the temple, The Times of India reported.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief YS Sharmila said that Naidu should be held accountable for his remarks.
“TDP [Telugu Desam Party] and YSRCP [YSR Congress Party] are engaging in vile politics, desecrating Tirumala and hurting the sentiments of Hindus,” she said, according to The Indian Express. “We demand Chandrababu Garu to take action. If your allegations are not politically motivated and you do not intend to play politics over sentiment, and if animal oils were indeed used instead of ghee, then immediately set up a high-level committee or conduct an inquiry with the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation].”
Centre seeks report
On Friday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that he had sought a report on the matter and that the government will take suitable action, PTI reported.
“I got to know about the issue through social media,” Nadda said at a press conference held to mark 100 days of the third Narendra Modi government. “I spoke to Chandrababu Naidu today and asked to send the entire report.”
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