Naidu alleges fish oil and beef tallow used in Tirupati temple laddoo

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday accused the YSR Congress Party of using substandard ingredients, including animal fat, in the laddoos at Tirupati's Sri Venkateswara temple during their time in power. He claimed that a lab test confirmed the presence of fish oil and beef tallow in the ghee used for the laddoos.

TDP leader Nara Lokesh, Naidu's son, cited a report from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food lab under the National Dairy Development Board, which allegedly confirmed the presence of animal fat in samples sent on July 8, 2024. Lokesh expressed shock, saying the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government used animal fat instead of ghee in the sacred prasad.

In response, the YSR Congress Party called the allegations "malicious" and accused Naidu of damaging the temple's sanctity for political gain. Former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Chairperson Y.V. Subba Reddy rejected the claims, stating that the ghee used at the temple was sourced from Rajasthan and that their government had always preserved the temple's sanctity.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President Y.S. Sharmila criticized both the TDP and the YSRCP for engaging in "vile politics" over the issue, urging Naidu to conduct a CBI inquiry if the allegations were true to prove they weren't politically motivated.