Andhra Pradesh CM claims animal fat used in Tirupati laddoos, YSRCP terms allegation ‘malicious’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday claimed that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used to make laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati when the YSR Congress Party was in power, The Indian Express reported.

A laboratory test on Thursday confirmed the presence of fish oil and beef tallow in the ghee, claimed Telugu Desam Party national general secretary Nara Lokesh Naidu, who is the chief minister’s son.

The YSR Congress, however, called the claims “malicious” and said that the chief minister would “stoop to any level for political gain”.

The laddoos are given as holy prasad, or offerings, at the temple, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

The Telugu Desam Party is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. The YSR Congress Party, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, led the previous government in the state.

Naidu, while addressing a National Democratic Alliance meeting on Wednesday, alleged that animal fat was instead of ghee under the YSR Congress Party government, according to PTI.

Pure ghee was currently being used at the temple, the chief minister said, adding that everything had been sanitised at the temple to ensure improved quality.

Subsequently, the Telugu Desam Party also released a report from the Centre for Analysis and Learning...

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