The long-running controversy over the quality of ghee used in Tirumala laddu prasadam has resurfaced, triggering fresh political debate in Andhra Pradesh.
During the previous YSR Congress Party government, serious allegations were made that the ghee used in Tirumala laddus was adulterated. Leaders including N. Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan had claimed that animal fat and pig fat were mixed into the ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Following these allegations, the Supreme Court of India ordered a Special Investigation Team probe into the matter.
After an extensive investigation, the SIT recently filed a chargesheet in the Nellore ACB Court. Notably, the chargesheet does not mention the presence of animal fat in the ghee. This development has given the YSRCP an opportunity to target the ruling alliance and question the credibility of earlier claims.
Amid this backdrop, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Chairman B. R. Naidu made explosive remarks that have reignited the controversy. Responding to the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Naidu stated that the document does not certify the ghee as free from contamination. He clarified that the chargesheet nowhere claims the ghee was pure.
Naidu alleged that harmful and dangerous chemicals were used in the laddu preparation process. He claimed that nearly 20 crore laddus were prepared using adulterated ghee. According to him, the ghee involved in the scam was completely impure and compromised in quality.
Taking the attack further, the TTD Chairman questioned whether such large-scale irregularities could have occurred without the support of the then TTD leadership. He directly targeted former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, suggesting political protection behind the alleged scam.
Naidu also raised questions about unexplained money transactions. He asked how crores of rupees were credited into the personal assistant’s account of YV Subba Reddy. He demanded that the CBI disclose where that money went and who ultimately benefited from it.
Calling for transparency, Naidu urged the CBI to publicly reveal the names of all individuals involved in the adulterated ghee racket. He stated that if the alliance government had not come to power, the illegal ghee business would have continued unchecked even today.
Meanwhile, national media outlets have reported that the CBI chargesheet does not confirm the presence of animal fat in the ghee. Despite this, B. R. Naidu’s strong statements have sparked intense discussion across political and public circles, keeping the Tirumala laddu controversy firmly in the spotlight.
