Amid Tirupati laddu row, former CM Jagan Reddy hits back; says TDP 'playing politics in God's name'

Speaking to the media, Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the TDP's claims, saying that the controversy over the quality of ghee used in the laddoos stems from a report dated back to July, during the tenure of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Reddy stressed that the lab report cited by the TDP is outdated and pertains to a time when Naidu was still in office.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has strongly refuted allegations made by the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regarding the use of animal fats and fish oil in the preparation of the famous Tirupati temple laddoos. The former CM accused the TDP of playing politics with religious sentiments and dismissed the accusations as baseless.

Speaking to the media, Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the TDP's claims, saying that the controversy over the quality of ghee used in the laddoos stems from a report dated back to July, during the tenure of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Reddy stressed that the lab report cited by the TDP is outdated and pertains to a time when Naidu was still in office.

"We were aware of the substandard quality of ghee supplied during Naidu's tenure, and we immediately informed him about it. AR Dairy, the supplier at that time, was responsible for providing low-quality ghee," Reddy said, adding that the issue had been dealt with promptly.

Jagan Reddy highlighted that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body responsible for managing the Tirupati temple's affairs, has strict guidelines in place for ensuring the quality of ingredients used in the laddoos.

"The tender process for ghee suppliers is conducted every six months, and the qualification criteria have remained unchanged for decades. Suppliers are required to provide a certificate from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to ensure the quality of the ghee," explained Reddy. "TTD also collects and tests samples of the ghee, and only certified products are used for the prasadam."

Reddy further pointed out that during his administration, 18 batches of substandard products had been rejected. He accused the TDP of politicising the issue for electoral gain, saying, "Politics is being done in the name of God. We have been transparent and diligent in our quality control, and these allegations are completely false and unnecessary."

The controversy erupted earlier this week when N Chandrababu Naidu, leader of the TDP, alleged that animal fat and other substandard ingredients had been used in the preparation of the laddoos during Jagan Reddy's administration. Naidu cited a report from Gujarat-based NDDB CALF Ltd, which allegedly confirmed the presence of animal fats and fish oil in ghee samples used for the sacred offering.