Tirupati laddu row: Jagan Mohan Reddy slams Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu of spreading lies on Hindu sentiments

Amid Tirupati laddu row, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy cancelled his visit to Tirumala temple on Saturday. 

The YSRCP chief had said he would visit the temple as part of the statewide temple rituals planned by the party to atone for the 'sin' allegedly committed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu by raising allegation of using adulterated ghee for making Tirupati laddus.  

Reddy, while addressing a press conference on Friday, said he was denied permission to visit the temple and therefore he is postponing his temple visit.

"The demon rule is continuing in the state. The government is trying to obstruct my upcoming visit to the Tirumala temple. Police have issued notices to YSRCP leaders across the state...The notice states that the visit to the Tirumala temple is not permitted, and the program organised by YSRCP does not have the necessary approval," said Reddy. 

Reddy's Tirumala temple visit had triggered a row across the state. The Andhra Pradesh BJP had demanded the former CM to publicly sign a "faith declaration". 

Lashing out at CM Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy said that he was spreading lies. "The ghee procurement e-tender is a routine process that has been happening for decades in every 6 months. Tirupati Laddu is very special...Anyone who qualifies can participate," he said. 

While detailing the tender and the approval process by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, Reddy said every six months tenders for laddus are called and whoever quotes for lower prices gets approved by the board. 

"The government has no interference...The TTD board is also very special. Union ministers and other state CMs also recommend the board members...TTD has a robust mechanism...The tankers that come to Thirumala should have an NABL certificate," Reddy added. 

While criticising Naidu, Reddy said four tankers failed the test in July during his term in 2024. 

"The samples from those tankers should have been sent to CFTRI Mysore, but instead, they were sent to NDDB for the first time. TTD issued a show-cause notice to the company responsible for the refused tankers. The refused tanker material was not used by TTD, yet Chandrababu Naidu claims that adulterated ghee was used. I question how adulterated ghee could have been used in prasad manufacturing if the tankers were sent back?" 

Reddy accused Naidu of spreading false allegations about YSRCP and Hindu sentiments. 

According to the rules, TTD, which manages the Tirumala Tirupati temple, foreigners and non-Hindus should declare their reverence for Lord Venkateswara, to whom the temple is dedicated, before visiting the shrine. 

The Tirupati laddu controversy had become a centre point in Andhra politics. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had alleged the use of ingredients including fish oil and beef tallow in the ghee used for the making of laddus in Tirupati temple during Reddy's term. 

Lab results confirmed the presence of animal fat in the ghee used for making the laddus.