Tirupati Temple Laddu Controversy: While the YSRCP accused Chandrababu Naidu of making “heinous allegations,” the TDP shared a lab report to support its claim.
A major political controversy erupted in Andhra Pradesh after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in Tirupati temple laddus during the previous YSRCP government under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership.
Amid the controversy, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday asserted that the adulteration was confirmed by a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory. During a press conference, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy presented the alleged lab report, which reportedly confirmed the presence of “beef tallow” in the ghee sample, according to news agency PTI.
On Wednesday, N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged that “animal fat” was used in place of ghee in the laddus offered at the Tirupati shrine.
10 Updates on the Tirupati Laddus Controversy:
1. The YSRCP accused Chandrababu Naidu of making “heinous allegations” for political gain, while the TDP circulated a lab report to support its claims.
2. During an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Naidu claimed that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government used substandard ingredients and animal fat in the preparation of the Tirupati temple laddus.
3. TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy stated that a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory confirmed the adulteration in ghee samples provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.
4. The alleged lab report also indicated the presence of “lard” (pig fat) and fish oil in the samples, with a sample receipt date of July 9, 2024, and a lab report date of July 16.
5. There has been no official confirmation of the lab report from either the Andhra Pradesh government or the TTD, according to PTI.
6. The laboratory involved—CALF (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food)—is a multidisciplinary lab at the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat’s Anand.
7. On Thursday, Naidu further alleged that the previous YSRCP government desecrated Tirumala, but noted that the cleansing process had already begun.
8. Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh commented that the lab report clearly confirmed the use of beef fat, fish oil, and lard in the laddus.
9. The TDP’s ally, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanded legal action, with BJP OBC Morcha president K. Laxman stating that the Hindu community’s sentiments had been hurt. Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh described the alleged use of “beef fat and fish oil” in the sacred laddu as an assault on cultural and religious heritage.
10. YSRCP leader and former TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy refuted Naidu’s allegations, stating that they undermined the sanctity of the deity and hurt the sentiments of devotees. He emphasized that it was unimaginable to suggest that animal fat was used in the laddus, calling Naidu’s claims the most heinous of accusations.
