Refuting the charge, former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy said Naidu had committed a grave sin by hurting the sentiments of the 100 crore Hindus with his allegations on the quality of Tirumala prasadam.
Published Sep 19, 2024 | 11:03 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 19, 2024 | 11:18 AM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made a sensational allegation, that animal fat was used for preparing laddus during the YSRCP regime at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
Naidu made the charge — which could have widespread ramifications — while addressing an NDA legislature party meeting on Wednesday, 18 September.
“They (YSRCP) brought down the quality of laddus. Instead of using pure ghee, they used animal fat for making Tirumala laddus,” he said, adding that the YSRCP had destroyed the sanctity of the shrine over the past five years.
“The quality of free food served to devotees at the shrine had come down. It pains me to learn that instead of pure ghee, they used animal fat in making laddus. Now that we are back, we are getting pure ghee in the preparation of laddus. We are doing our best to restore and preserve the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine,” the chief minister said.
Naidu’s comment on laddus came amidst his tirade against YSRCP’s five-year “misrule”. He said there was a deliberate conspiracy to desecrate the temple.
The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple is a much-revered Hindu place of worship in South India, and is held in high esteem in the Telugu-speaking states.
“The former chief minister had ignored laboratory reports on the quality of Tirumala laddu and food served under the Annadanam scheme,” he said and accused YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of siphoning off ₹520 crore from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust.
Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP was in power in Andhra Pradesh for five years from 2019.
The TTD had earlier used the Nandini brand of ghee supplied by Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). After the YSCRP came to power, the contract was taken off KMF and given to another contractor, Naidu said, adding that it affected the quality of laddus.
The chief minister’s accusation spread like wildfire as Tirumala laddu has a lot of sanctity attached to it. The delicacy is supposed to be made from pure ghee but using animal fat instead — as accused by Naidu — would hurt Hindu sentiments.
The contract with the KMF was renewed after the TDP-led NDA came to power in Andhra Pradesh.
On average, three lakh laddus are sold at Tirumala. The TTD uses about 10,000 kg of ghee for making the laddus. The average number of visitors to Tirumala shrine is about 70,000 per day and it might go up to one lakh on auspicious days.
Meanwhile, the YSRCP refuted the allegations. Former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy said Naidu had committed a grave sin by hurting the sentiments of the 100 crore Hindus with his allegations on the quality of Tirumala prasadam.
In a message on X, he termed the allegations the most atrocious and that no human being would make such charges.
“His comment on the quality of laddus has proved once against that there were no depths to which Naidu cannot descend to reaping political gain. I am ready to take oath on the Lord at Tirumala on the quality of laddus along with my family members. Is Chandrababu Naidu ready,” he asked.
దివ్య క్షేత్రం తిరుమల పవిత్రతను, వందలకోట్లమంది హిందువుల విశ్వాసాలను చంద్రబాబునాయుడు దారుణంగా దెబ్బతీసి పెద్ద పాపమే చేశాడు. తిరుమల ప్రసాదంపై చంద్రబాబు చేసిన వ్యాఖ్యలు అత్యంత దుర్మార్గం. మనిషి పుట్టుక పుట్టినవారెవ్వరూ కూడా ఇలాంటి మాటలు మాట్లాడరు, ఇలాంటి ఆరోపణలు చేయరు.1/2
— Y V Subba Reddy (@yvsubbareddymp) September 18, 2024
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
