Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Did Changing Ghee Brand Lead To 'Animal Fat' Findings? — Details

Tirupati laddu controversy: Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government of allowing substandard ingredients in the prasadam, tarnishing the temple’s sanctity.

Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made serious allegations that the ghee used in preparing the sacred laddus, distributed as prasadam at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, contains animal fats and fish oil. Naidu made these claims during an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, accusing the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government of allowing substandard ingredients in the prasadam, tarnishing the temple’s sanctity.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy supported Naidu’s claims, citing lab reports from the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat, which allegedly confirmed the presence of beef tallow and fish oil in the ghee used. “The ghee had an S-value of only 19.7, and the presence of animal fat is an affront to Hindu religion,” Reddy stated.

Nandini To AR Dairy Foods: Ghee Procurement Controversy

In 2023, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government ended a 15-year partnership with Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) for sourcing Nandini ghee for Tirumala laddoos due to pricing disputes. Last year, in July, KMF president Bhima Naik revealed that the temple trust awarded the ghee contract to another vendor. He also said that KMF didn’t participate in the tender following a price hike of their ghee, as reported by News 18. Naik explained that KMF couldn't reduce prices due to fixed rates benefiting dairy farmers.

Between 2013 and 2018, KMF had previously supplied 3,000 to 4,000 tons of ghee annually to TTD. 

In August 2023, Naik alleged that TTD was procuring low-quality ghee but TTD's executive officer, A.V. Dharma Reddy, refuted the claim, stating that only vendors meeting stringent quality standards and offering the lowest bid were selected through an e-tender process.

Dharma Reddy told PTI: "The temple body procures cow ghee only from those suppliers who pass the twin tests of uncompromising quality and least cost (L1 bidder) through a rigourous e-tender process."

Following this, the contract was provided to AR Dairy Foods from Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, reported Times of India.

However, after the report in July, TTD returned the ghee to AR Dairy Foods and blacklisted the contractor. 

Further, Karnataka Milk Federation was selected again to supply ghee.

Political and Religious Repercussions

The controversy has ignited political tensions. Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister and TDP leader, slammed the previous YSRCP government for allegedly mismanaging the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple. Lokesh asserted that TTD had been run for personal gain under YSRCP, and promised that the current NDA government would restore the temple’s glory and maintain the quality of the sacred prasadam.

Meanwhile, Ramana Deekshitulu, a former priest at the Tirumala temple, expressed concern over the quality of ghee used in the laddus in recent years. He claimed that his warnings to temple authorities had been ignored but expressed hope that the new government would rectify the situation by ensuring the use of pure cow ghee.

YSRCP Responds

Senior YSRCP leader and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy strongly refuted the allegations, calling them an affront to the temple’s sanctity. He said that it was unimaginable to even suggest that animal fat was used in the laddus offered to the deity and such a claim was made with political intentions. 

As the controversy unfolds, both political parties are using the issue to gain leverage, with devotees eagerly awaiting a resolution to ensure the temple’s offerings maintain their religious sanctity.