Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddoos made under the watch of the previous YSR congress administration.
Responding to the damning allegation, YSR congress, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, said that Naidu was damaging the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine, terming his claims ‘extremely malicious’.
Naidu was addressing an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday when he made the bombshell allegation of animal fat having used in the temple delicacy given as ‘ prasad’ at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati under the Jagan Reddy government.
The allegation puts in the dock the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple.
Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party came to power in Andhra Pradesh in June in an alliance with the Jana Sena and the BJP, said that YSR Congress party leaders have tarnished the sanctity of Tirumala over the past five years.
Adding he accused the YSR leaders of compromising on the quality of temple’s free meal and contaminating the sacred Tirumala Laddu using animal fat for ghee.
‘This revelation has caused concern. However, we are now using pure ghee. We are striving to protect the sanctity of the TTD’ Naidu added.
Responding to Naidu, Senior YSR Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy said Naidu was damaging the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine.
Subba Reddy said on X that Naidu’s comments about Tirumala prasad are ‘extremely malicious’, adding that the chief minister ‘severely damaged the sanctity of Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus’.