Tirupati Laddu Controversy: In a recent development on the Tirupati Laddu controversy, former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, addressed the claims alleging the holy laddu prasadam included animal fat. The controversy was sparked by claims made by Chandrababu Naidu, accusing the previous YSR Congress-led government of using substandard ingredients, including animal fat, in the preparation of laddus at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, while addressing the allegations on Friday, accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of politicising religious matters for their gain.
Jagan Mohan Reddy Defends Ghee Procurement Process
Responding to the accusations, Jagan Mohan Reddy clarified the process involved in selecting suppliers for the preparation of Tirupati laddus. He explained that the tender process happens every six months, and strict quality standards have been maintained for decades.
“The qualification criteria have not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) certificate and a product quality certificate,” Reddy said. He further assured that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) collects samples from the ghee used in the laddus, and only products that pass certification are approved for use.
Jagan Mohan Reddy also highlighted that during his government’s tenure, they rejected substandard ghee products 18 times, reinforcing the commitment to maintaining the purity and sanctity of the prasadam.
TTD Executive Officer’s Clarification
Adding to the defense, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer Shamala Rao addressed concerns about the quality of the laddu prasadam. She said, “When I took over as executive officer of TTD, the then CM expressed concern about the ghee procured and the quality of the laddu, which is considered very sacred and offered as prasadam to Lord Venkateswara Swamy. Any deviation in quality would mean doing ‘apavithram’ (something impure),” Rao explained.
Politicisation of Religious Sentiments
Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly condemned the TDP’s purported attempts to use religious issues as a tool for politics. He underlined that making false assertions regarding the quality of the holy prasadam is an insult to the faith of millions of devotees, and that the Tirumala temple and the laddu prasadam are of great religious significance.
“TDP is politicizing religious matters. The purity of the Tirupati laddus has always been maintained, and any substandard products were rejected immediately during our regime,” Reddy asserted.
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