Animal Fat Was Used In Tirupati Laddoos, Says Chandrababu Naidu; YSR Congress Refutes

Mr Naidu made the remarks while addressing an NDA legislative party meeting.

Making a startling claim, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has said animal fat was used to make Tirupati laddoos under the previous government run by the YSR Congress. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party has rubbished the allegation and termed it malicious. 

Addressing an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, Mr Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party came to power in Andhra Pradesh in June in an alliance with the Jana Sena and the BJP, said animal fat was used to make the sought-after laddoos given as 'prasad' by the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati under the Jagan Reddy government. The temple is managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

"In the past 5 years, YSR Congress party leaders have tarnished the sanctity of Tirumala. They compromised on the quality of 'Annadanam' (free meals) and even contaminated the sacred Tirumala Laddu by using animal fat instead of ghee. This revelation has caused concern. However, we are now using pure ghee. We are striving to protect the sanctity of the TTD," Mr Naidu said in Telugu.