Ramit Mehrotra, Pune
A lab report has confirmed the use of animal fat while making laddoos in the Tirupati temple, which serves as a prasad to the devotees. The reports come in after Telugu Desham Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh’s CM Chandrababu Naidu levied accusations on the YSRCP government for using animal fat in the production of Tirupati prasad laddoos. The private lab found that the samples of ghee used in the making of the laddoos contained foreign fat. The temple committee has formed a panel to investigate the quality of ghee supplied to the temple.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has constituted a four-member panel comprising dairy experts Dr Surendranath, Dr Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, Dr Swarnlatha and Dr Mahadevan. They are assigned to find a conclusive end to the allegation within a week. TDP representative spokesperson Anam Venkata Rama Reddy said that the lab reports verify the use of beef tallow and lard. Fish Oil was also claimed to be used in the preparation of laddoo.
According to the report, Soybean, Sunflower, Olive, Rapeseed, Linseed, Wheat Germ, and Maise germ were also a few foreign components in the foreign fat. In a media conference held at Gokulam Rest House, TTD Executive Officer J. Syamla Rao reiterated the importance of maintaining high standards of ghee while preparing Prasad to serve the devotees. He warned the suppliers who provide ghee of poor quality to face the consequences of their actions. Rao revealed that one person had already been issued notice after the findings from the NABL lab.
TDP member Pattabhi Ram Kommareddy alleged that from the span of 2019 to 2024, Jagan Mohan Reddy, as a Chief Minister, appointed his uncles as chairmen of the temple trust.
YSRCP leader YV Subba Reddy, who chaired the committee for two consecutive terms, said on the microblogging platform ‘X’, that Naidu’s accusations have damaged and hurt the sentiments of the millions of devotees and the faith of the Hindu community.
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh said that the quality of “Annadanam” and the supervision of the preparation of the Prasad has severely deteriorated under the YSRCP administration. There was rampant corruption, unlike any other government before TDP took over. Soon after the NDA government was formed, a new executive officer (EO) was appointed to cleanse the entire system and ensure that there was no lapse in the future.