ANDHRA PRADESH/ KARNATAKA, 20 SEPTEMBER, 2024 (GPN): It has come to light after a shocking revelation when a lab test report showed that the Sri Venkateswara temple ‘Tirupati Prasadam’ showed traces of animal fat, beef tallow, lard and fish oil in the making of the prasadam. What tempted the Temple management to use such inferior animal fat not even vegetable oil as a substitute to the usage of pure Ghee like the Nandini Ghee that was being supplied by The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Temple.

It came in to limelight and aroused curiosity when a video went viral showing former Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy when he was offered the Laddu Prasadam, he smelled it and kept it aside without consuming it as if he knew the inside story and this sparked a row for getting the facts checked as to why the CM showed disrespect for the consecrated iconic Tirupati laddu Prasadam.

A massive row errupted after Chandrababu Naidu made a startling allegation that the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy used animal fat in consecrated sweets–‘Tirupati Prasadam’ instead of ‘Ghee’ at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. The TTD Temple used to procure Ghee earlier from government dairies one brand Nandini from The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and other from Andhra Pradesh State Govt. owned Dairies.

The Nandini Ghee from KMF and other from AP Govt. was being given on subsidised rates, but once the YSR Congress took control they started a Tender System and whichever supplier quoted less they offered them (Private Supplier’s) the contract.

A warning was given way back by KMF Chairman Bhima Naik that Nandini the Karnataka’s flagship dairy brand Ghee was being offered to TTD on negligible profit margins out of love for the beloved deity Sri Venkateswara and the devotees and if any other supplier will offer a lower rate they are bound to adulterate the Ghee and compromise on quality for securing profits.

Earlier in July 2024 former AP CM and chief of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Jagan Mohan Reddy has been booked in an attempt to murder case along with two senior IPS officers and two retired officials following a complaint lodged by TDP MLA Raghurama Krishna Raju.

In the year 2022 a report showed that a vigilance check was conducted on the Laddu prasadam ingredients and it was noticed that the quality norms were not followed and a Supplier was blacklisted and a show cause notice was issued this further evolved in to INR 520 crore was Siphoned off in different ways involving the tenders floated than.

As per latest update, a Supreme Court lawyer has reportedly filed a complaint with the Home Ministry, as well as with the Directors General of Police (DGP) of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, against former Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), and a contractor alleged to have supplied adulterated non-vegetarian ghee to the Tirupati Temple confirmed Lawyer and TDP Spokesperson Deepak Reddy to GPN.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy said, “The lab reports of samples certify that beef tallow and animal fat – lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee which was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7.”

The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which had supplied 3,000 tonnes of Nandini ghee to make Tirupati laddus between 2013 and 2018 and 1,700 tonnes in 2019, had failed to win the bid for supply in recent years. However, after the intervention from TDP Chief KMF has started supplying the ghee again from the last 15 days.

KMF has received an order to supply 350 tonnes of ghee over the next three months. They have also intimated us that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is interested in buying Nandini ghee again after the current supply contract ends,” KMF chairman Bhima Naik told GPN. “We are proud that our Nandini ghee is associated with Tirupati laddu.”

YSCRP Rajya Sabha MP Y V Subba Reddy accused CM Naidu of spreading ‘fake news’ while claiming that the TDP government has failed. “Before the elections, they spread false news about YSRCP, and now they continue to do so. In the past 100 days, they have failed in governance, and to suppress this, they have brought up this issue,” said Reddy.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh Minister and TDP leader Nara Lokesh said that the previous YSR Congress Party misrule tarnished the reputation of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. He added,  From 2019 to 2024, our alliance (Janasena Telugu Desam) criticized the then-government (YSRCP) multiple times. CM Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to maintain the quality of prasadam from now onwards. The previous YSRCP  government maintained TTD solely for their own and their partners’ welfare. The NDA coalition government will bring new reforms to TTD and restore its past glory.”

President of BJP OBC Morcha K Laxman demanded that the present Chandrababu-led NDA govt should take firm legal action against the officials and persons concerned who hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community.The Tirupati temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who is believed to have come to earth to deliver humanity from the trials and tribulations of the Kali Yuga. As a result, the location has been given the name Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is known as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.