Former andhra pradesh chief minister jagan mohan reddy has responded to claims made by current chief minister Chandrababu Naidu about the preparation of tirupati balaji prasadam laddoos, asserting that no violations occurred during his tenure and labeling the controversy as unfounded.
Reddy accused Naidu of engaging in petty politics by invoking religious sentiments. He emphadata-sized that the ghee used in the laddoos is sourced from NABL-certified companies and undergoes thorough testing. reddy stated that the tirumala tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) conducts its own quality checks three times, a practice consistent over the years.
He announced plans to write to prime minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of india D.Y. Chandrachud, detailing how Naidu “twisted the facts” regarding the issue. reddy expressed his intent to explain why action should be taken against Naidu for these alleged misrepresentations.
Reddy further criticized Naidu for allegedly using religious sentiments for political advantage, claiming that Naidu's accusations about ghee adulteration were an attempt to distract from his administration's failures in its first 100 days.
Calling the allegations of ghee adulteration outrageous, reddy questioned the fairness of playing with the sentiments of millions of devotees worldwide. He highlighted that the tender process for ghee procurement occurs every six months, with long-standing criteria requiring NABL certification and quality assurance. reddy noted that under his administration, products were rejected 18 times if they did not meet standards.
Legal Actions and Further Developments
The laddoo controversy has reached the courts, with senior YSRCP leader Y.V. Subba reddy filing a petition in the andhra pradesh High court to investigate claims of animal fat in the prasadam during the previous YSRCP regime. The court will hear the petition on september 25.
Additionally, a petition in the supreme court alleges that the presence of animal fat violates fundamental Hindu customs and harms the sentiments of devotees, calling for the protection of Hindu religious practices.
Central Government’s Involvement
Union health minister jp nadda has requested a detailed report from Naidu regarding the allegations. In a statement, Nadda confirmed that he would coordinate with state authorities to ensure compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of india (FSSAI) regulations.
Union Food and Public Distribution minister Pralhad Joshi has also called for an investigation into claims made by Naidu regarding the use of ‘beef tallow,’ ‘lard,’ and fish oil in the ghee for the laddoos.
Political Reactions
YS Sharmila, andhra pradesh Congress President and jagan Reddy's sister, has written to Union home minister amit shah demanding a cbi probe into Naidu’s claims. She criticized both Naidu and reddy for engaging in “heinous politics” surrounding the laddoo preparation.
Background of the Controversy
The dispute erupted after Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in the tirupati laddoos during Reddy’s administration, claiming substandard ingredients were employed. tdp spokesperson Anam Venkata reddy -Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">ramana reddy supported this with a purported laboratory report indicating the presence of beef tallow, lard, and fish oil in the ghee samples tested.