Vellampalli demands apology from CM over prasadam remarks

Tadepalli: Former minister Velampalli Srinivas Rao has demanded that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu should apologise to the devotees of Lord Venkateswara for his remarks regarding Tirumala prasadam.

Responding to media queries at the YSR Congress Party central office, Velampalli stated that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s comments about adulteration in the Tirumala laddu prasadam were criticised by the Supreme Court.

He pointed out that even the government lawyer, representing the case in the Supreme Court, clarified that the ghee used was not adulterated, contradicting Naidu’s allegations. Velampalli added that since the day Naidu made these claims, crores of devotees have been distressed. He criticised the Chief Minister for making such irresponsible statements without proper evidence. The Supreme Court also questioned why Naidu raised concerns about adulteration without seeking a second opinion, he mentioned.

The apex court further questioned why the issue was kept confidential from July 23 to September 18 and asked why there was a need to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Velampalli expressed confidence that the truth behind the matter would soon come to light and advocated for a judicial inquiry by a Supreme Court judge, which he believed would reveal the complete truth.