Bitter TDP-YSRCP fight erupts over 'animal fat' claim in Tirupati laddu

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's claim that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus under the previous government triggered a massive political row on Thursday, with the opposition YSRCP accusing Naidu of indulging in "heinous allegations" for political gain, and TDP circulating a lab report to back the claim.

During an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Naidu claimed that the previous Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati and used below par ingredients and animal fat for making laddus.

At a press conference, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy claimed that the adulteration has been confirmed by a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory on the ghee samples provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.

He displayed the purported lab report which apparently confirmed the presence of 'beef tallow', 'lard' and 'fish oil' in the given ghee sample. The sample receipt date was 9 July 2024 and the lab report was dated 16 July.

However, there was no official confirmation on the lab report from either the Andhra Pradesh government or the TTD. Senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Y.V. Subba Reddy, who served as chairman of TTD for four years, noted that Naidu’s allegations had undermined the hallowed nature of the deity and hurt the sentiments of devotees.

"It is unimaginable to even say that animal fat was used in the consecrated food offered to the deity and the laddus given to devotees. There is no other heinous attempt than alleging that animal fat was being used," said Reddy.

Asserting that he is a Hindu who worships Sri Venkateswara Swamy, the Rajya Sabha member challenged Naidu to come and swear before the deity whether his allegations were true or false. He further said if Naidu fails to substantiate his allegations and comes up with proof, he would take legal recourse and would go up to the Supreme Court.

Senior YSRCP leader and another former TTD chairman B. Karunakar Reddy charged that Naidu made sacrilegious allegations over Tirupati laddus for political mileage.

Karunakar Reddy, who twice served as the chairman of TTD, alleged that Naidu’s claims of lacing Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) with animal fat during YSRCP government was aimed at politically targeting the opposition party and its president and former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

"To attack YSRCP, Y.S. 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," Reddy told a vernacular news channel.

State IT minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday expressed shock over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati prasadam (laddu). "The lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam," he said in a post on X.

Assailing the ruling TDP and opposition YSRCP for allegedly indulging in ‘heinous’ politics over Tirupati laddus, AP Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila on Thursday called for a CBI probe to ascertain whether animal fat was really used to make the sweet.

Andhra Pradesh BJP in a post on its X handle said the remarks of CM Naidu on the laddu issue created anguish among all Hindus. The saffron party appealed to the state government to immediately investigate all the issues that hurt the sentiments of Hindus under the previous government.

Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the alleged use of animal fat in making the laddu is a deep betrayal of faith and trust of Hindus who pray to Lord Venkateswara. In a post on X, he demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government conduct an immediate probe into the matter to uncover the truth and take strong action against those responsible.

Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh said the alleged use of "beef fat and fish oil" in making the sacred laddu prasadam during the previous YSR Congress rule is "a direct assault on our rich cultural and religious heritage which cannot and should not be tolerated".

He urged Chandrababu Naidu, PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to take immediate action against those responsible for the "grave offence".

In August 2023, Nandini brand milk producer Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) chairman Bheema Naik alleged that the temple body was procuring low quality ghee. However, the then TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy said the temple body procures cow ghee only from those suppliers who pass the twin tests of uncompromising quality and least cost (L1 bidder) through a rigorous e-tender process, dismissing Naik's allegations.

Moreover, he said that KMF, which never qualified as an L1 bidder had supplied ghee only once in the past 20 years, including failing to deliver the consignment on time.