Tirupati Laddoos Row Explained: Who Said What, Where Ghee Came From

New Delhi:

Laddoos, particularly these provided as ‘prasadam’, or devotional choices, on the temple city of Tirupati are the battleground de jour in Andhra Pradesh, after a lab in Gujarat indicated the presence of animal fats within the ghee used to make them.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his Telugu Desam Get together have ripped into his predecessor YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his YSR Congress Get together over the “desecration” of the temple, a spiritual landmark that holds satisfaction of place amongst practising Hindus within the state and throughout India.

The Chief Minister – who declared the temple could be “sanitised” – additionally accused his rival of corruption in negotiating tenders for getting the huge portions of “adulterated ghee” wanted for an estimated three lakh laddoos day by day, and having insulted “one of the vital revered Gods”.

The temple’s present board has not formally commented on the row as but, however has shaped a four-member committee to submit a report about high quality requirements in getting ready the laddoos.

It is very important observe that it was the TTD board itself that had requested for the lab report, citing a number of complaints from the general public concerning the high quality of the laddoos, in latest weeks and months.

What Gujarat Lab Report Stated

A July 17 report from the Centre of Evaluation and Studying in Livestock and Meals, or CALF, lab on the centre-run Nationwide Dairy Growth Board in Gujarat, launched Wednesday, mentioned it discovered animal fats in ghee used to make the well-known Tirupati laddoos when the YSRCP was in energy. 

READ | Andhra Government Cites Lab Report In Tirupati Laddoo-Animal Fat Row

The report indicated the ghee contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard; the final is a semi-solid white fats product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.

What TDP, Allies Stated

Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Andhra’s IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, additionally chipped in, accusing the YSRCP of getting served substandard ‘annadanam‘, or free meals, on the temple whereas in energy.

He claimed the row over animal fats was triggered by an anti-corruption probe into irregularities within the buy of ghee, greens, and different gadgets used to make the laddoos and the meals.

Mr Naidu’s state ally, actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Get together, has hit out at Mr Reddy and the YSRCP, demanding motion towards “desecration of ‘sanatan dharm‘ in any type”.

What BJP Stated

The Bharatiya Janata Get together, which is allied with the TDP and Jana Sena on the centre, is up in arms; Union Minister and Nationwide Common Secretary Bandi Sanjay slammed the “unforgivable sin” towards a “very holy prasadam“. The BJP chief additionally claimed a communal angle, alleging the ghee concern was as a result of “few folks from different religions (had been) inducted” into the board.

A BJP MP who was on the board of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam – the federal government belief that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and others within the state – additionally raged, demanding a police criticism be filed towards the previous Chief Minister. “Jagan Mohan Reddy’s authorities (intentionally) broken the sentiment of Hindu pilgrims…” he declared.

The top of the saffron occasion’s OBC unit, Ok Laxman, has known as for authorized motion.

What YSRCP Stated

The YSR Congress, in the meantime, has hit again onerous towards the flood of allegations.

Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy, who was Chairperson of the TTD for 4 years, mentioned it’s “unimaginable to even say ‘animal fats was utilized in consecrated meals provided day by day to the deity and in laddoos given to devotees'”. Mr Reddy blasted the Chief Minister for the “heinous’ declare.

Mr Reddy additionally declared that it was Chandrababu Naidu, in truth, who had broken the sanctity of the temple, and affected crores of devotees, by making such outrageous feedback.

Mr Reddy wrote in Telugu on X, “It has been proved as soon as once more that Chandrababu is not going to hesitate to do something dangerous for the good thing about politics”. The YSRCP chief additionally declared himself prepared “to take an oath as witnesses… in (this) case” and requested, “Is he additionally able to take oath?”

One other senior occasion chief, Karunakar Reddy, who served two phrases as TTD Chairperson, mentioned the TDP authorities’s claims amounted to political vendetta towards Jagan Mohan Reddy.

What Congress Stated

The Congress – thumped within the Meeting election held earlier this yr, after failing to win any of the 159 seats it contested – has been comparatively quiet thus far. The occasion’s state unit boss, YS Sharmila, has known as for the Central Bureau of Investigation to determine the allegation.

“If there aren’t any political angles to your allegations… when you’ve got no intention of taking part in politics on this concern… type a high-level committee or name for a CBI inquiry. The Congress calls for you discover out the reality,” she mentioned on X.

Ms Sharmila is Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, however there’s little love misplaced between the siblings; in January, whereas taking her oath of workplace, she criticised her brother (and the TDP), declaring no growth had taken place in Andhra Pradesh over their mixed 10 years in energy.

What Is Tirupati Laddoos Row

The TTD board buys an estimated 5 lakh kilograms of ghee yearly, or round 42,000 per thirty days. That is bought through an e-tender floated each six months. As well as, the TTD additionally requires round 22,500 kg of cashew nuts, 15,000 kg of raisins, and 6,000 of cardamoms.

In keeping with the Karnataka Milk Federation the TTD used to buy the ghee from them, however provide was discontinued 4 years in the past, reportedly over pricing points.

Stories counsel they had been unable to supply ghee at costs low sufficient for the TTD because the Karnataka authorities – dominated by the Congress – ordered a Rs 3 per litre enhance in milk costs.

tirupati laddoos being made

An estimated three lakh laddoos are made each day on the Tirupati temple.

Their contract, they’ve mentioned, was renewed solely after Mr Naidu’s TDP returned to energy.

Within the meantime, stories state the temple board turned to a provider from Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul, in whose ghee there was allegedly traces of the animal fats.

The Tirupati temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who, it’s believed, got here to earth to ship humanity from the trials and tribulations of the Kali Yuga.

Tirupati laddoos have a ‘Geographical Indication’ tag, which is a reputation or signal that identifies a product as originating from a selected geographical location or origin. The tag is a type of mental property proper (IPR) that protects the product and ensures that solely authorised customers can use the title

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