Chandrababu remarks on Tirupati laddu, minister Dola says will conduct probe, YSRCP denies allegations

Amaravati: Day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of using animal fat in making the Tirupati laddu, Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy said that a comprehensive inquiry will be conducted into irregularities in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).

The minister told media persons that the Chief Minister repeated what the officials have already stated on the quality of ingredients used in making laddu, also known as Tirumala laddu.

CM Naidu in a TDP meeting on Wednesday claimed that during the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) rule, the laddu used to be made with substandard ingredients.

The famous sweet is given as 'prasadam' to the devotees at the famous Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, which is run by TTD, a body nominated by the state government.

He accused YSRCP leaders of tarnishing the sanctity of the hill shrine. "They compromised on the quality of 'Annadanam' (free meals) and even contaminated the sacred Tirumala Laddu by using animal fat instead of ghee," he said but added that after the change of government laddu is being made with pure ghee.

Meanwhile, former member of TTD Governing Council O.V. Ramana said it was a fact that substandard ghee was used in making the laddu.

He told a news conference in Tirupati that quality cow ghee for the laddu was being procured in the past from a milk cooperative body of the Karnataka government.

He alleged that former Executive Officer Dharma Reddy awarded the contract for the supply of ghee to traders of his choice. He said the tender was awarded to a Delhi-based company, which was supplying ghee mixed with chemicals.

Ramana said that Jagan Mohan Reddy was paying for the mistakes of Y. V. Subba Reddy, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and Dharma Reddy.

However, YV Subba Reddy, a Rajya Sabha MP of YSRCP and former TTD chairman denied the allegation made by Naidu. He termed the allegation "malicious" and said that the TDP supremo would never 'stoop to any level for political gain'.

Subba Reddy, who is the uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, said CM Naidu had severely damage

sanctity of the Tirumala temple and the faith crores of Hindus with his remarks.