A staggering 300 kilograms of prasad laddoos from the Tirupati temple were distributed to devotees in January, during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as confirmed by Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram Temple. This statement surfaced amid a growing controversy over the alleged use of animal fat in the ghee used for preparing laddoos at Andhra Pradesh’s Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the temple authority managing the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati.
"If animal fat was mixed in the prasad, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible," Das stated, as reported by PTI. The controversy arose after the TTD disclosed lab findings that confirmed the presence of lard and other impurities in the ghee supplied by a contractor. In response, the contractor was blacklisted and legal proceedings were initiated against them for supplying adulterated ghee.
N Chandrababu Naidu Accuses YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Of Compromising The Sanctity Of Tirupati Laddoos
The issue was first brought to light by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who raised concerns about the quality of the prasad. Naidu alleged that animal fat had been used during the previous administration under the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He accused the YSRCP of buying substandard ghee at lower prices, thereby compromising the sanctity of the Tirupati laddoos.
In defense, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these accusations as 'diversion politics' and labelled them a 'concocted story' designed to shift attention away from the current government’s shortcomings.
The controversy intensified when lab reports, commissioned by Naidu's party, the TDP, supported his claims. These reports found traces of animal fats including beef tallow, lard, and fish oil in the ghee samples. The temple management acknowledged that four independent tests confirmed similar results, leading to immediate action to stop all supplies from the blacklisted contractor.
Naidu Assures Restoration Of Sanctity Of Tirupati Laddoos
Naidu, in a public statement, assured the public that new suppliers, such as Karnataka’s Nandini brand, had been engaged to provide pure cow ghee and restore the sanctity of the laddoos. Ramana Deekshitulu, the former chief priest of the Tirupati temple, also expressed his concerns, revealing that he had previously raised this issue with the TTD management without success.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for investigations into the matter and requested reports from the Andhra Pradesh government. Meanwhile, the TTD has reassured devotees that the purity of the laddoos has been restored, and stricter measures are now in place to ensure only high-quality ingredients are used.
