The Tirupati temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who, it is believed, came to earth to deliver humanity from the trials and tribulations of the Kali Yuga.
Laddoos, specifically those offered as ‘prasadam’, or devotional offerings, at the temple town of Tirupati are the battleground de jour in Andhra Pradesh, after a lab in Gujarat indicated the presence of animal fat in the ghee used to make them.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party have ripped into his predecessor YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his YSR Congress Party over the “desecration” of the temple, a religious landmark that holds pride of place among practicing Hindus in the state and across India.
The Chief Minister – who declared the temple would be “sanitised” – also accused his rival of corruption in negotiating tenders for buying the vast quantities of “adulterated ghee” needed for an estimated three lakh laddoos daily, and having insulted “one of the most revered Gods”.
The temple’s current board has not formally commented on the row as yet, but has formed a four-member committee to submit a report about quality standards in preparing the laddoos.
It is important to note that it was the TTD board itself that had asked for the lab report, citing multiple complaints from the public about the quality of the laddoos, in recent weeks and months.
What Gujarat Lab Report Said
A July 17 report from the Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food, or CALF, lab at the centre-run National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat, released Wednesday, said it found animal fat in ghee used to make the famous Tirupati laddoos when the YSRCP was in power.
READ | Andhra Government Cites Lab Report In Tirupati Laddoo-Animal Fat Row
The report indicated the ghee contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard; the last is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.
What TDP, Allies Said
Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Andhra’s IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, also chipped in, accusing the YSRCP of having served substandard ‘annadanam‘, or free food, at the temple while in power.
He claimed the row over animal fat was triggered by an anti-corruption probe into irregularities in the purchase of ghee, vegetables, and other items used to make the laddoos and the food.
Mr Naidu’s state ally, actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, has hit out at Mr Reddy and the YSRCP, demanding action against “desecration of ‘sanatan dharm‘ in any form”.
What BJP Said
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is allied with the TDP and Jana Sena at the centre, is up in arms; Union Minister and National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay slammed the “unforgivable sin” against a “very holy prasadam“. The BJP leader also claimed a communal angle, alleging the ghee issue was because “few people from other religions (had been) inducted” into the board.
A BJP MP who was on the board of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam – the government trust that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and others in the state – also raged, demanding a police complaint be filed against the former Chief Minister. “Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government (deliberately) damaged the sentiment of Hindu pilgrims…” he declared.
The head of the saffron party’s OBC unit, K Laxman, has called for legal action.
What YSRCP Said
The YSR Congress, meanwhile, has hit back hard against the flood of allegations.
Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy, who was Chairperson of the TTD for four years, said it is “unimaginable to even say ‘animal fat was used in consecrated food offered daily to the deity and in laddoos given to devotees'”. Mr Reddy blasted the Chief Minister for the “heinous’ claim.
Mr Reddy also declared that it was Chandrababu Naidu, in fact, who had damaged the sanctity of the temple, and affected crores of devotees, by making such outrageous comments.
Mr Reddy wrote in Telugu on X, “It has been proved once again that Chandrababu will not hesitate to do anything bad for the benefit of politics”. The YSRCP leader also declared himself ready “to take an oath as witnesses… in (this) case” and asked, “Is he also ready to take oath?”
Another senior party leader, Karunakar Reddy, who served two terms as TTD Chairperson, said the TDP government’s claims amounted to political vendetta against Jagan Mohan Reddy.
What Congress Said
The Congress – thumped in the Assembly election held earlier this year, after failing to win any of the 159 seats it contested – has been relatively quiet so far. The party’s state unit boss, YS Sharmila, has called for the Central Bureau of Investigation to establish the allegation.
“If there are no political angles to your allegations… if you have no intention of playing politics on this issue… form a high-level committee or call for a CBI inquiry. The Congress demands you find out the truth,” she said on X.
Ms Sharmila is Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, but there is little love lost between the siblings; in January, while taking her oath of office, she criticised her brother (and the TDP), declaring no development had taken place in Andhra Pradesh over their combined 10 years in power.
What Is Tirupati Laddoos Row
The TTD board buys an estimated five lakh kilograms of ghee every year, or around 42,000 per month. This is purchased via an e-tender floated every six months. In addition, the TTD also requires around 22,500 kg of cashew nuts, 15,000 kg of raisins, and 6,000 of cardamoms.
According to the Karnataka Milk Federation the TTD used to purchase the ghee from them, but supply was discontinued four years ago, reportedly over pricing issues.
Reports suggest they were unable to offer ghee at prices low enough for the TTD as the Karnataka government – ruled by the Congress – ordered a ₹ 3 per litre increase in milk prices.
An estimated three lakh laddoos are made every day at the Tirupati temple.
Their contract, they have said, was renewed only after Mr Naidu’s TDP returned to power.
In the meantime, reports state the temple board turned to a supplier from Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul, in whose ghee there was allegedly traces of the animal fat.
The Tirupati temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who, it is believed, came to earth to deliver humanity from the trials and tribulations of the Kali Yuga.
Tirupati laddoos have a ‘Geographical Indication’ tag, which is a name or sign that identifies a product as originating from a specific geographical location or origin. The tag is a form of intellectual property right (IPR) that protects the product and ensures that only authorised users can use the name
With input from agencies
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