Chandrababu Naidu's 'adulterated ghee in Tirupati prasadam' allegation sparks row
Addressing a village meeting at Kalugotla in Kurnool district, Naidu claimed that the earlier regime had attempted to undermine the prestige of Lord Venkateswara Swamy by distributing adulterated prasadam. He further alleged that similar adulterated ghee had been supplied to the Srisailam Temple during the YSRCP's tenure.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday alleged that Tirupati laddus were prepared using ghee adulterated with “chemicals used to clean bathrooms” during the previous YSRCP government, intensifying the political row over the issue.
Addressing a village meeting at Kalugotla in Kurnool district, Naidu claimed that the earlier regime had attempted to undermine the prestige of Lord Venkateswara Swamy by distributing adulterated prasadam. He further alleged that similar adulterated ghee had been supplied to the Srisailam Temple during the YSRCP’s tenure.
“Ghee made out of bathroom-cleaning chemicals was used in laddus by them (previous YSRCP government),” claimed Naidu, on the sidelines of a Pattadar Passbook distribution programme in Yemmiganur constituency.
According to the chief minister, laddus were prepared using adulterated ghee containing “chemicals” for five years. He said there were two types of chemicals involved, noting that some were of vegetable origin and costlier, while animal fat was cheaper.
Naidu reiterated that the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) report indicated the use of animal fat. He added that, as a devotee, he did not wish to speak much on the matter in view of the sanctity of Lord Venkateswara Swamy.
While YSRCP leaders maintain that a CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) had given a clean chit, the TDP supremo claimed that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle, YV Subba Reddy, had earlier acknowledged that adulteration had occurred.
Naidu said his government had attempted to correct the alleged wrongdoing related to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) prasadam and asserted that there was a marked difference between the laddus prepared now and those made earlier.
At a press conference on Thursday, Naidu vowed strict action against those involved in the alleged adulteration case and announced the formation of a one-man committee to implement corrective measures following the SIT report.
He described the alleged adulteration of Tirumala laddu prasadam as a serious offence against devotees’ faith and asserted that no report had given a clean chit to the YSRCP. Calling ghee adulteration the “greatest sin against God”, Naidu also alleged that a 2022 Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) report had “clearly stated that there was adulteration”, but the irregularities continued.
According to the news agency PTI, responding to the allegations, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy said on Thursday that the 2022 CFTRI report did not mention animal fat adulteration in the ghee used for the consecrated sweet, though it purportedly observed that ghee was being adulterated.
He rejected the TDP-led NDA government’s charge that he had suppressed the report, asking, “If it was suppressed, then why would I even write to CFTRI to test the samples in the first place,” Subba Reddy asked.
He further alleged that despite the SIT report “clearing the issue, the state government was continuing to spread false claims and erecting hoardings to blame YSRCP”.