Amaravati: Former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy alleged that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s claims that Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) were laced with animal fat during YSRCP regime was aimed at politically targetting the opposition party and its chief and former CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Karunakar Reddy had served twice as the chairman of TTD. The post of the chairman of TTD is the official custodian of the world-renowned Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.
Reddy said that Naidu's allegations on the preparation of famous Tirupati laddus were only to derive political mileage.
“To attack YSRCP, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the previous government (YSRCP), he (Naidu) made heinous allegations that animal fat was used in making Swamy’s (deity) laddus. It is a deplorable experiment. Any kind of allegations could be made but this type of allegations against Venkateswara Swamy’s laddus for political mileage is deplorable,” PTI reported Reddy as saying.
Notably, Karunakar Reddy is relative of Jagan Mohan Reddy.
TDP's Allegations Against YSRCP
Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday accused the previous YSRCP government of "adulterating" the sacred Tirumala Laddu. Naidu claimed that animal fat was used in place of pure ghee, sparking concerns.
"Even after numerous complaints, authorities had failed to maintain the sanctity of the revered prasadam," Naidu said during an NDA coalition meeting in Mangalagiri. He further added, "They have behaved like evil… The Prasadam which is offered to god was also impure. Not only are adulterated ingredients used, but they have also used animal fat instead of ghee."
Naidu expressed his dedication to restoring the purity of the prasadam: "We have ordered for pure ghee, and cleansing. Purity has increased, we are lucky that Lord Venkateshwara Swamy is in our state. The responsibility of saving Lord Venkateshwara Swamy lies on us."
YSRCP Hits Back
Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP hit back at Naidu's accusations, with party president Reddy writing in a post on X, "Chandrababu Naidu committed a great sin by damaging the sanctity of the divine temple Tirumala and the faith of hundreds of crores of Hindus. Chandrababu's comments on Tirumala Prasad are very evil. No one born of human birth speaks such words or makes such accusations."
Subba Reddy challenged Naidu to take an oath regarding his claims, stating, "To strengthen the faith of the devotees, I and my family are ready to take an oath as witnesses of that God in the case of Tirumala Prasad. Is Chandrababu also ready to take oath with his family?"
Lab Test Finds Presence Of ‘Foreign Fat’ In Ghee
The Gujarat-based National Dairy Board, which tested the ghee used in preparing the Tirupati laddus, found traces of "foreign fat", its report revealed by the TDP Thursday said. According to the report by National Dairy Development Board's Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food, accessed by TIMES NOW, the ghee sample revealed the presence of "beef tallow, pig fat, and fish oil". Amidst the ongoing war of words between the TDP and the YSRCP over the adulteration of Tirupati prasad, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy presented the lab report at press conference Thursday. The sample receipt was recorded on July 9, 2024, and the report was dated July 16.
The report described its methodology, stating, "The S value of all equations for sample coded as AB021253 are falling out of the range as prescribed by method. If any S-value falls outside the corresponding limits, consider the sample to contain a foreign fat."
The report listed potential foreign fats, which included soybean, sunflower, olive, rapeseed, linseed, wheat germ, maize germ, cottonseed, fish oil, coconut and palm kernel fat, palm oil, beef tallow, and lard.