Tirupati Laddoo Row: Jagan Reddy Denies Allegations, Centre Seeks Report

The controversy surrounding the Tirupati laddoo, offered as prasadam at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, escalated after a lab report revealed the presence of animal fats in the laddoo. This has led to widespread outrage, with the central government now seeking a report on the issue, while former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy denied the allegations of contamination during his tenure.

The management of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) stated that multiple tests confirmed various levels of contamination in the laddoos, including pig fat, beef tallow, and palm oil. The temple, which sees over 60,000 devotees daily, offers the laddoo as a sacred offering.

YSR Congress Party leader Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP of “playing politics in the name of God,” as he denied the allegations of adulteration when he was Chief Minister. He claimed that the alleged lab reports circulated by the TDP were from Naidu’s tenure. Reddy announced plans to write to the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India to explain how Naidu had misrepresented the facts.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda also spoke with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, requesting a report on the issue. The report will be reviewed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and appropriate action will be taken.

The Tirupati temple management has set up a four-member committee of dairy experts to monitor the quality of ghee procured by the temple. This committee is expected to submit its report within a week and will recommend new guidelines for ghee procurement.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party leader Pawan Kalyan expressed deep concern over the findings and called for the creation of a ‘Sanatana Dharma Protection Board’ to safeguard temples across India.

AR Dairy, one of the ghee suppliers under scrutiny, defended its product by stating that their supplies had been certified for quality. The company claimed that the ghee samples provided to the temple were tested and cleared by authorities.

The Congress party also demanded a full inquiry into the matter, stating that if the allegations were false, those exploiting the faith of Tirupati devotees would be held accountable.