The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh alleged that a laboratory report detected "beef tallow," "lard," and fish oil in the ingredients used for preparing the Tirupati laddu. The famous laddu, made by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara temple, is a sacred offering (prasad) at the temple. The report has sparked controversy, as it claims the presence of animal fat in the prasad, raising concerns among devotees.
In response to claims made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu regarding the alleged use of beef tallow in Tirupati's famed laddu prasadam, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Jagan Reddy has moved the High Court. Lawyers representing the YSRCP requested an investigation by either a sitting judge or a committee appointed by the court to look into the allegations.
The High Court bench suggested filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Wednesday, September 25, to allow for formal arguments on the matter. The controversy revolves around accusations that animal fat, including beef tallow, was mixed into the ingredients of the prasadam offered at the Tirumala temple.
Earlier, Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for a thorough investigation into the claims. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) cited a lab report from NDDB CALF Ltd, a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, which allegedly confirmed the presence of beef tallow, lard (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee used for preparing the laddus. The samples, reportedly collected on July 9, 2024, were analyzed and the lab report dated July 16.
However, there has been no official confirmation from either the Andhra Pradesh government or the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple. The YSR Congress Party has strongly denied the allegations made by Chief Minister Naidu, who claimed that the previous YSRCP government used substandard ingredients and animal fat in the laddu preparation.
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