In his startling revelations on Friday, state Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress (YSRCP) government of Andhra Pradesh of mixing animal fat and inferior ingredients to make the Tirupati laddoo. The Tirupati laddoo is the 'prasad' offered at the famous Sri Venkateswara temple. “Even Tirumala laddoo was made with substandard ingredients...they used animal fat instead of ghee,” Naidu said during the NDA legislature party meeting in Amravati.

Naidu went on to say that everything at the temple had been sanitised and that pure ghee was now being used, which had improved the quality. Following N Chandrababu Naidu's accusations, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh targeted the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration on the same matter. "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam," he said in a post on X.

Naidu's accusation was described as "malicious" by the YSRCP, which also claimed that the TDP chief would "stoop to any level for political gain". Subba Reddy, leader of YSRCP and an MP of the Rajya Sabha alleged that Naidu had severely damaged the sanctity of the holy Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus with his comments. "His comments about the Tirumala prasadam are extremely malicious. No person would speak such words or make such accusations,” Subba Reddy asserted in a post on X.

Throwing a challenge to Naidu, ex-TTD chairman said he would take an oath about this issue along with his family before the deity to strengthen the faith of devotees and asked whether Naidu would do the same.

Image source: India Today