Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing current CM N Chandrababu Naidu of spreading false allegations regarding the preparation of Tirupati laddus. Reddy described Naidu as a "pathological liar," claiming that his remarks have harmed the religious sentiments of millions for political gain.
The controversy began when Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in the making of the famous Tirupati laddus. Reddy, who leads the YSR Congress Party, emphasized that these claims were unfounded and sought strict action against Naidu, calling for the "truth to be revealed" to dispel the doubts created among Hindu devotees.
Reddy pointed out that a tanker containing questionable ghee arrived at Tirupati on July 12 but was immediately rejected by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) due to quality concerns. He defended the rigorous checks in place to ensure the purity of the ghee used for prasadams, explaining that every batch undergoes testing and is only approved for use after passing multiple quality assessments. Reddy said Naidu deliberately ignored these facts and waited over two months before bringing up the issue for political purposes, despite knowing that the ghee was never used.
Reddy also accused Naidu of attempting to divert attention from the failures of his administration. He urged the Prime Minister to reprimand Naidu for spreading misinformation, which he said had deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and tarnished the reputation of the TTD, the revered institution responsible for the Sri Venkateswara Temple.
In his letter, Reddy stressed the importance of maintaining public trust in the TTD’s practices and requested that the Prime Minister take steps to restore the faith of millions of devotees who were misled by Naidu's remarks. He also reiterated that the established protocols for testing the purity of ghee have been in place for decades, and many tankers have been rejected in the past without incident.
Reddy concluded by urging Prime Minister Modi to address the issue promptly to prevent further damage to the sanctity of the Tirupati temple and its offerings.