Tirupati laddoos row: Jagan Reddy says no violation by him, Centre seeks report

The row over the alleged contamination of laddoos at Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati temple escalated on Friday, with the central government seeking a report on the matter.

And former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy rejecting the N Chandrababu Naidu government’s allegations of adulteration during his tenure. The temple management stated that five of their tests indicated various levels of contamination, including the presence of pig fat, beef tallow, palm oil, among others, and described the quality as ‘pathetic’.

The Tirupati laddoos, also known as SriVari Laddu, is offered as ‘Naivedhyam’ (offering) to Lord Venkateswara at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, which sees an average daily footfall of over 60,000. Devotees also receive the laddoo as prasadam.

TIRUPATI LADDOO ROW
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief and former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP of “playing politics in the name of God,” as he denied the allegations of adulteration of laddoo when he was the Chief Minister. Reddy claimed that the purported lab reports, shared by the TDP, were from July, during Naidu’s tenure. The former Chief Minister said that he will be writing to the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India explaining “how Chandrababu Naidu twisted the facts and why action should be taken against him”.

Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court, seeking an investigation by a sitting judge or a committee appointed by the High Court into the claims made by Chandrababu Naidu. The court directed the party to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Wednesday.

The Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shyamala Rao, stated that after Chief Minister Naidu raised the issue earlier, multiple tests were conducted, which revealed the ‘contamination’ across several ingredients. He described the lab reports as “shocking”. He said that the ghee suppliers took advantage of lack of in-house testing facilities.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on Friday, requesting a report on the issue. Nadda stated that the report would be reviewed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and action would be taken afterward.

As the controversy intensified, the Tirupati temple management set up a four-member committee to monitor the quality of ghee procured by the shrine. The committee, comprising dairy experts, is expected to submit its report within a week and propose guidelines for ghee procurement.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan expressed being “deeply disturbed” by the findings of animal fat in the Tirupati temple ‘prasadam’. He called for the establishment of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at the national level to address issues related to temples across the country.

The Congress party also weighed in, demanding a full-fledged enquiry to identify those responsible if claims of “desecration” of the Tirupati laddoo are proven. However, the party warned that if the allegations are found to be false or politically motivated, millions of Tirupati devotees will not forgive those exploiting their faith. “Until then, it suits the BJP to let polarising conspiracy theories circulate during the election season,” Congress leader Pawan Khera remarked.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu called for a reassessment of the temple’s food offerings across the state, stating, “The quality of food being served has deteriorated. The raw materials used are of substandard quality, and impure ingredients are being used in one of the holiest temples”.

AR Dairy, one of the companies supplying ghee to the Tirupati temple, claimed that their product samples had been cleared by authorities, certifying its quality. They added that the supplies were made between June and July. The company, which has come under scrutiny amid the controversy, further stated that the ghee sent to the Tirupati temple was accompanied by duly accredited lab reports.

A recent report from NDDB CALF, a private laboratory specialising in testing animal feed, milk, and dairy products, revealed the presence of foreign fats in the ghee used to make Tirupati laddoos. The analysis uncovered adulterants like palm oil, fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (derived from pig fat). TDP leaders circulated the report, and during an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Naidu raised the issue, and a massive row followed.