Lab report finds beef fat, fish oil used in laddus at Tirupati Temple

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said on Thursday that a lab in Gujarat has found "beef tallow," "lard" (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee used to make the famous Tirupati laddu.

Lab report finds beef fat, fish oil used in laddus at Tirupati Temple

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy showed the lab report at a press conference. The sample was received on July 9, 2024, and the report was dated July 16.

Read More: India Braces for a Chilly Winter: Temperatures Could Plummet to 3 Degrees

On Wednesday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat, not ghee, was used in the laddus offered as prasad at Tirupati's temple of Lord Venkateswara during the rule of the previous YSRCP government, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TDP leader referred to a report from the Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) at the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. According to the report, the ghee used in the Tirupati laddus during the YSRCP administration had traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and pig fat.

"The lab reports of the samples certify that beef tallow, animal fat – lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee supplied to Tirumala, and the S value is only 19.7," TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy told ANI. He also shared a copy of the lab report.

Lab report of samples sent from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam that were sent to National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat for testing.

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy says, "...The lab reports of samples certify that beef tallow and animal fat - lard, and fish oil… https://t.co/jwHKaS3erw pic.twitter.com/9eZasbkewh

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2024

On Thursday, the Karnataka Milk Federation clarified that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board hasn’t bought ghee from them in four years. They also said that since the TDP, led by Chandrababu Naidu, took power in Andhra Pradesh, Nandhini Ghee has been supplied for the laddus.

The Tirupati temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara (a form of Lord Vishnu), is known as Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is called Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.

During an NDA legislative party meeting on Wednesday, TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of using low-quality ingredients and animal fat in the laddus at the Sri Venkateswara temple.

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh posted a video of his father, CM Naidu, talking about the issue on X. He said, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the Y. S. Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam."

State Congress chief Y S Sharmila, sister of YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has asked for a CBI investigation to look into Naidu's claims. She criticized the YSRCP for playing “dirty politics” with the Tirupati laddus.

Meanwhile, senior YSRCP leader B Karunakar Reddy accused Chandrababu Naidu of making these claims to gain political points. Reddy, who has been chairman of TTD twice, said Naidu’s accusations were just an attempt to attack the YSRCP and its leader, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson of VHP, spoke to the news agency PTI "Everybody knows about the anti-Hindu acts and deeds of the previous YSR government in Andhra Pradesh, but nobody could have expected it to stoop to this level."

"This is a very serious issue, raised by none other than Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. Punish those who used animal fat in Tirupati laddu prasadam," he said, urging for “quick stern action against the culprits.”

On Thursday, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) called Naidu’s claims about the Tirupati laddu a “serious matter” and urged for strict action against those involved.