The Union Health Ministry has announced an inquiry into the controversy surrounding the purity of the Laddu prasadam at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. On Friday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda stated, “We have taken cognizance of the matter.”
He added, “Upon receiving information, I contacted Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu for further details. A report has been requested from the state government, and the temple’s prasadam (laddu) will be investigated.”
Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has made two claims over the past two days. The Naidu-led government has alleged that ghee containing animal fat and fish oil was mixed into the prasadam. The TDP cited a lab report to support their claims.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has approached the High Court regarding the controversy. They have demanded that the court form a committee to investigate Naidu’s allegations. The case is scheduled to be heard on September 25.
The Tirupati temple, known for its 300-year-old kitchen, produces 3.5 lakh laddus daily. The Tirumala Trust earns Rs 500 crore annually from the sale of prasadam.
Temple Trust Forms Four-Member Committee to Investigate Prasadam
On September 18, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu stated that, over the last five years, the Jagan Mohan government and YSRCP leaders have tarnished the sanctity of Tirumala.
Although Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has not issued an official statement, a four-member special committee has been formed to monitor the quality of the ghee used in the prasadam.
A lab report, received on July 17, has been circulating in the public domain, though it has not been officially confirmed. The report neither mentions the name of the issuing institution nor the location where the sample was tested.
Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal has filed a complaint against Jagan Mohan Reddy, the contractor, and TTD officials. The complaint alleges that they have tampered with the religious sentiments of devotees by allowing ghee mixed with animal fat into the prasadam. Jindal has called for an FIR to be filed and for strict action to be taken.
Meanwhile, Union Food Minister Prahlad Joshi has requested a detailed report on the matter.
TDP’s Allegations and Lab Report
On September 19, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkat Ramana Reddy released the lab report during a press conference, stating that the sample was sent to the Gujarat-based Livestock Laboratory, NDDB (National Dairy Development Board) CALF Limited (Center for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food) on July 9, 2024.
A day earlier, on September 18, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had alleged that animal fat was being mixed into the prasadam. He announced that the company supplying the ghee was being blacklisted and that the contract had been terminated. The investigation has been handed over to Vigilance. The company in question had received the tender just a year ago.
YSRCP MP Denies Allegations, Calls Them Fake
Former Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy countered Naidu’s allegations, saying, “CM Naidu’s statements about the sanctity of Tirupati laddu are deeply insulting. This has hurt the sentiments of Hindus worldwide.” He further claimed that TTD maintained the highest standards in preparing Naivedyam and prasadam between 2019 and 2024, improving the quality of previous years.
Adulteration in Ghee Supplied Under YSRCP-TDP Governments
For 50 years, Karnataka’s KMF (Karnataka Milk Federation) has been supplying ghee to the trust at concessional rates. The temple uses 1,400 tonnes of ghee every six months. However, in July 2023, KMF refused to supply ghee at a lower rate, prompting the Jagan government (YSRCP) to award contracts to five new firms, one of which, AR Dairy Foods in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, was found to be supplying adulterated ghee in July this year.
In response, the TDP government blacklisted the ghee supplier in July and appointed senior IAS officer J Shyamala Rao as the new executive officer of TTD in June this year. A committee was formed to check the quality of the prasadam, and ghee samples were sent to the NDDB in Gujarat for testing. The report received in July mentioned the presence of animal fat.
Following this, TTD returned the ghee stock sent by AR Dairy Foods and blacklisted the contractor. TTD then resumed purchasing ghee from the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Federation (KMF), now paying Rs 475 per kg, up from Rs 320 per kg under the old supplier.
The Temple’s Legacy and Daily Rituals
Tirupati temple is one of the most revered and wealthiest religious sites in the world. About 70,000 devotees visit Lord Venkateshwara Swamy each day. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) manages the temple’s affairs.