Controversy erupts over alleged adulteration of Tirumala Laddu
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2024-09-19 18:10 GMT
Tirupati: A massive controversy has erupted following allegations from Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu that the previous YSRC government adulterated the sacred Tirumala Laddu with ghee containing animal fat. These claims, made during an event commemorating 100 days of the NDA government in the state, have ignited outrage and calls for investigation from various political factions and Hindu organisations.
Naidu accused the YSRC administration of using low-quality ingredients, including adulterated ghee, in the preparation of offerings at the Tirumala temple. To back his assertions, the Telugu Desam (TD) presented test results from the National Dairy Development Board Cattle Feed (NDDB CALF) laboratory.
While the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has yet to issue an official statement, the issue is gaining traction in political discussions. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y.S. Sharmila responded by demanding accountability from Naidu, criticising both the TD and YSRC for engaging in politics that she claims undermines the sanctity of Tirumala and offends Hindu sentiments. She challenged Naidu to initiate a high-level inquiry or involve the CBI if his allegations were not politically motivated.
BJP state spokesperson G. Bhanuprakash Reddy has also called for an investigation, accusing the former government of being anti-Hindu and disrespectful to religious sentiments. He raised concerns about potential adulteration in the ghee supply for TTD, suggesting that contracts be awarded to farmers' cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu rather than to outside traders. Reddy also called for a new expert committee to oversee the quality of ghee and other ingredients supplied to TTD, arguing that the current committee has been in place for 9.5 years without change.
Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), demanded strict punishment for those responsible for allegedly incorporating animal fat into the Tirumala Laddu. He expressed disbelief over the previous government’s actions on social media, emphasizing the severity of the allegations and urging immediate action to prevent similar incidents statewide.
Former TTD trust board member O.V. Ramana alleged that substandard ghee was used in the preparation of the famed laddu. In a press conference, he claimed that high-quality cow ghee had previously been sourced from a Karnataka government milk cooperative, but the former Executive Officer, A.V. Dharma Reddy, awarded contracts to preferred traders, including a Delhi-based company accused of supplying chemically mixed ghee. Ramana concluded by stating that current Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is now facing the repercussions of decisions made by his predecessors.
While the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has yet to issue an official statement, the issue is gaining traction in political discussions. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y.S. Sharmila responded by demanding accountability from Naidu, criticising both the TD and YSRC for engaging in politics that she claims undermines the sanctity of Tirumala and offends Hindu sentiments. She challenged Naidu to initiate a high-level inquiry or involve the CBI if his allegations were not politically motivated.
BJP state spokesperson G. Bhanuprakash Reddy has also called for an investigation, accusing the former government of being anti-Hindu and disrespectful to religious sentiments. He raised concerns about potential adulteration in the ghee supply for TTD, suggesting that contracts be awarded to farmers' cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu rather than to outside traders. Reddy also called for a new expert committee to oversee the quality of ghee and other ingredients supplied to TTD, arguing that the current committee has been in place for 9.5 years without change.
Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), demanded strict punishment for those responsible for allegedly incorporating animal fat into the Tirumala Laddu. He expressed disbelief over the previous government’s actions on social media, emphasizing the severity of the allegations and urging immediate action to prevent similar incidents statewide.
Former TTD trust board member O.V. Ramana alleged that substandard ghee was used in the preparation of the famed laddu. In a press conference, he claimed that high-quality cow ghee had previously been sourced from a Karnataka government milk cooperative, but the former Executive Officer, A.V. Dharma Reddy, awarded contracts to preferred traders, including a Delhi-based company accused of supplying chemically mixed ghee. Ramana concluded by stating that current Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is now facing the repercussions of decisions made by his predecessors.