Tirupati laddus' recipe row: Andhra CM Naidu alleges use of 'animal fat'

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has sparked a controversy by alleging that animal fat was used in laddus at Tirupati's temple during Jagan Mohan Reddy's regime, a claim rejected by Reddy's party

A huge political controversy erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government regime, animal fat was being used to prepare laddus that are served at the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati.

During an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Naidu alleged the use of substandard ingredients for making laddus, with his party claiming that the ghee used in the recipe contained animal fat.

In a press conference, Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) claimed that a lab test on the samples provided by the temple had confirmed that the adulterated ghee contained ‘beef tallow’, Lard and Fish Oil. Reddy’s YSRCP retaliated by criticising Naidu for indulging in ‘heinous allegations’.

Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday called for an investigation into the incident.

What does the lab report say?

TDP said that they had collected the ghee sample provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple. These samples were sent to a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, whose report is now being circulated by the TDP. The report is dated July 16 and the sample receipt date says July 9. Notably, the Andhra Pradesh government and the TTD are yet to officially confirm the findings of the lab report.

Senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member YV Subba Reddy, who served as chairman of TTD for four years, slammed Naidu over the issue, which he said had “hurt the sentiments of the devotees.” He also challenged Naidu to swear before the deity over his allegations.

YSRCP has hit back at Naidu and TDP for trying to target the opposition party to gain political mileage. Meanwhile, AP Congress Committee (APCC) president Y S Sharmila on Thursday called for a CBI probe into the incident while alleging that the two parties are indulging in ‘heinous’ politics.

Andhra Pradesh BJP, an ally of Naidu government, said in a post on its ‘X’ that CM’s remarks had created anguish among all Hindus.