Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Friday, said that he respected all faiths, adding that his personal belief is rooted in humanity. His comments came after the ruling NDA demanded that he publicly declare his religion before visiting the Tirupati temple.

"The entire country, the state, knows my religion. My late father became the chief minister twice and he always took blessings of Lord Balaji. I read the Bible, I respect Hindu religion, traditions and rituals. I also respect Islam and Sikhism. My religion is humanity, write that in the declaration," Reddy said during a media interaction.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldives-president-muizzu-took-action-against-ministers-who-made-anti-modi-remarks-762737">Maldives president: Took action against ministers who made anti-Modi remarks</a>

He also commented on the objections raised by leaders from other states. "I am surprised that leaders from other states are trying to stop me from visiting," Reddy said, addressing the notice issued to him and his party members from the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).

The notice, citing Section 30 of the Police Act, warned them against defying the law as they planned to accompany their leader to Tirupati, a visit which was later called off for 'security reasons.'

Reddy mentioned that he had visited the temple 11 times, even before becoming chief minister. "Back then they never asked me about my religion. And now you are slapping me with this notice to prove my allegiance?" he said. As per the rules, non-Hindus and foreigners are required to declare their respect for Lord Venkateswara if they wish to have a darshan at the Tirumala temple, a former official explained to PTI.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistans-kashmir-rant-falls-flat-as-india-hits-back-at-unga-labels-speech-travesty-762672">Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UNGA Kashmir rant falls flat as India hits back</a>

Referring to the NDA’s demand that he disclose his faith before entering the temple, Reddy expressed concern over how he was being questioned. "Look at the way they’re asking me about my religion just to visit the temple," he said. He further added, "I am surprised that BJP leaders from other states are targeting me."

"Religion based hatred should not have any place in politics. Today the BJP is raising a lot of questions about my religion. I want to ask them in return, what action are they taking against their own partner who is desecrating the Tirumala Temple" he asked, pointing to his successor, Chandrababu Naidu.

In response to Reddy's statements, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) took to social media. "Who stopped? According to the law, I have to sign that I believe that Swami is the one, if you don’t want to do that, then go away.. Who told you not to sign?" the TDP posted on X.

<h2>What is Tirupati ladoo prasadam row?</h2>

A political storm has erupted in Andhra Pradesh regarding claims that animal fat is being used in the making of Tirupati laddoos. Despite this controversy, the sale of the popular ladoo prasadam at the Sri Venkateshwara Temple remains unaffected, with more than 60,000 devotees visiting the temple each day.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Friday, said that he respected all faiths, adding that his personal belief is rooted in humanity. His comments came after the ruling NDA demanded that he publicly declare his religion before visiting the Tirupati temple.

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Friday, said that he respected all faiths, adding that his personal belief is rooted in humanity. His comments came after the ruling NDA demanded that he publicly declare his religion before visiting the Tirupati temple. "The entire country, the state, knows my religion. My late father became the chief minister twice and he always took blessings of Lord Balaji. I read the Bible, I respect Hindu religion, traditions and rituals. I also respect Islam and Sikhism. My religion is humanity, write that in the declaration," Reddy said during a media interaction. Also read: Maldives president: Took action against ministers who made anti-Modi remarks He also commented on the objections raised by leaders from other states. "I am surprised that leaders from other states are trying to stop me from visiting," Reddy said, addressing the notice issued to him and his party members from the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP). The notice, citing Section 30 of the Police Act, warned them against defying the law as they planned to accompany their leader to Tirupati, a visit which was later called off for 'security reasons.' Reddy mentioned that he had visited the temple 11 times, even before becoming chief minister. "Back then they never asked me about my religion. And now you are slapping me with this notice to prove my allegiance?" he said. As per the rules, non-Hindus and foreigners are required to declare their respect for Lord Venkateswara if they wish to have a darshan at the Tirumala temple, a former official explained to PTI. Also read: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UNGA Kashmir rant falls flat as India hits back Referring to the NDA’s demand that he disclose his faith before entering the temple, Reddy expressed concern over how he was being questioned. "Look at the way they’re asking me about my religion just to visit the temple," he said. He further added, "I am surprised that BJP leaders from other states are targeting me." "Religion based hatred should not have any place in politics. Today the BJP is raising a lot of questions about my religion. I want to ask them in return, what action are they taking against their own partner who is desecrating the Tirumala Temple" he asked, pointing to his successor, Chandrababu Naidu. In response to Reddy's statements, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) took to social media. "Who stopped? According to the law, I have to sign that I believe that Swami is the one, if you don’t want to do that, then go away.. Who told you not to sign?" the TDP posted on X. What is Tirupati ladoo prasadam row? A political storm has erupted in Andhra Pradesh regarding claims that animal fat is being used in the making of Tirupati laddoos. Despite this controversy, the sale of the popular ladoo prasadam at the Sri Venkateshwara Temple remains unaffected, with more than 60,000 devotees visiting the temple each day. (With inputs from agencies)

Tirupati ladoo row: Jagan Reddy defends faith after cancelling Tirupati visit; slams BJP for asking religion

Indian Police Service&nbsp;(IPS) officer Sarvashresth Tripathi has been appointed as the head of the&nbsp;Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the adulteration of the prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple, the Andhra Pradesh government confirmed on Tuesday (Sep 24).&nbsp;

The laddus given to the devotees as an offering at the temple have been alleged to contain animal fats, including beef tallow, which has caused uproar amongst the Hindu community across the country.&nbsp;

Tripathi will be joined by two more senior IPS officers,&nbsp;Gopinath Jetty,&nbsp;range deputy inspector general of police in Visakhapatnam and&nbsp;Harshavardhan Raju,&nbsp;district superintendent of police, Kadapa.&nbsp;

Tripathi, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Andhra cadre is currently posted in Guntur as the inspector general of police. He had also worked in the recent assembly elections where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) emerged victorious in an alliance with the Jana Sena Party.&nbsp;

The SIT will reportedly not only look into circumstances that led to adulteration in the prasadam but also investigate&nbsp;into other irregularities that have allegedly taken place during the previous regime in the last five years.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tirupati-laddu-row-new-vendor-appointed-promises-of-purity-760801" target="_blank">Watch |&nbsp;Tirupati Laddu Row: New vendor appointed, promises of purity</a>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tirupati-laddu-row-new-vendor-appointed-promises-of-purity-760801/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<h2>What is the&nbsp;controversy?</h2>

The controversy erupted after CM Chandrababu Naidu last week alleged that the&nbsp;Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddus, which included animal fat and fish oil.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/andhra-deputy-cm-pawan-kalyan-to-undergo-11-day-penance-after-tirupati-laddoo-row-760820" target="_blank">Also read |&nbsp;Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to undergo 11-day penance after Tirupati 'laddoo' row</a>

On Thursday (Sep 19), a lab report from&nbsp;Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples. The report, dated July 16, 2024, was presented by TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy in a press conference.

Some new reports have also claimed that devotees found&nbsp;tobacco in the prasadam offered to them. One such devotee named&nbsp;Donthu Padmavati, a resident of Khammam district said she discovered tobacco in the laddu when she went back home to share it with family and neighbours.&nbsp;

On Monday (Sep 23), a&nbsp;purification ritual was carried out in the temple to rid of the negative energies.&nbsp;The ritual called the Mahashanti Yagam was performed in strict accordance with the shastras (manual with rules) with an executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shamala Rao, along with other officials and priests present.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sarvashresth Tripathi has been appointed as the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the adulteration of the prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple, the Andhra Pradesh government confirmed on Tuesday (Sep 24).

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sarvashresth Tripathi has been appointed as the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the adulteration of the prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple, the Andhra Pradesh government confirmed on Tuesday (Sep 24). The laddus given to the devotees as an offering at the temple have been alleged to contain animal fats, including beef tallow, which has caused uproar amongst the Hindu community across the country. Tripathi will be joined by two more senior IPS officers, Gopinath Jetty, range deputy inspector general of police in Visakhapatnam and Harshavardhan Raju, district superintendent of police, Kadapa. Tripathi, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Andhra cadre is currently posted in Guntur as the inspector general of police. He had also worked in the recent assembly elections where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) emerged victorious in an alliance with the Jana Sena Party. The SIT will reportedly not only look into circumstances that led to adulteration in the prasadam but also investigate into other irregularities that have allegedly taken place during the previous regime in the last five years. Watch | Tirupati Laddu Row: New vendor appointed, promises of purity What is the controversy? The controversy erupted after CM Chandrababu Naidu last week alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddus, which included animal fat and fish oil. Also read | Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to undergo 11-day penance after Tirupati 'laddoo' row On Thursday (Sep 19), a lab report from Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples. The report, dated July 16, 2024, was presented by TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy in a press conference. Some new reports have also claimed that devotees found tobacco in the prasadam offered to them. One such devotee named Donthu Padmavati, a resident of Khammam district said she discovered tobacco in the laddu when she went back home to share it with family and neighbours. On Monday (Sep 23), a purification ritual was carried out in the temple to rid of the negative energies. The ritual called the Mahashanti Yagam was performed in strict accordance with the shastras (manual with rules) with an executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shamala Rao, along with other officials and priests present. (With inputs from agencies)

Tirupati prasadam row: IPS officer to head SIT probe appointed by Andhra government

Amid the controversy surrounding Tirupati laddus, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has collected 13 samples of items being sold as 'prasadam' outside the temples here and sent them for testing, an official said on Sunday.

The samples were collected over the past two days from the famous Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple of Mathura, Thakur Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan and the Daan Ghati temple of Govardhan.

FSDA Assistant Commissioner Dhirendra Pratap Singh said the action has been taken in light of the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddus.

After the laboratory report comes in, it will be known if there is any kind of adulteration in the items being sold here as 'prasadam', he said.

Singh said a campaign will be run in the entire district from Monday and teams will go to every area to collect samples.

He said that in the last two days, the team had collected samples from about 13 places and sent them to the laboratory.

Further action will be taken based on the report, he said.

The assistant commissioner also said all the shopkeepers have been warned not to mix any unwanted substance in any food item, let alone 'prasadam'.

Playing with the health of people will not be tolerated at any cost, he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's claim that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus during the previous government has triggered a massive political row, with the YSRCP accusing Naidu of indulging in "heinous allegations" for political gains and the TDP circulating a lab report to back its claim.

During an NDA legislature party meeting on Wednesday, Naidu claimed that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government did not even spare the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati and used substandard ingredients and animal fat to make laddus. 
&nbsp;

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Amid the controversy surrounding Tirupati laddus, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has collected 13 samples of items being sold as 'prasadam' outside the temples here and sent them for testing, an official said on Sunday.

Amid the controversy surrounding Tirupati laddus, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has collected 13 samples of items being sold as 'prasadam' outside the temples here and sent them for testing, an official said on Sunday. The samples were collected over the past two days from the famous Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple of Mathura, Thakur Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan and the Daan Ghati temple of Govardhan. FSDA Assistant Commissioner Dhirendra Pratap Singh said the action has been taken in light of the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddus. After the laboratory report comes in, it will be known if there is any kind of adulteration in the items being sold here as 'prasadam', he said. Singh said a campaign will be run in the entire district from Monday and teams will go to every area to collect samples. He said that in the last two days, the team had collected samples from about 13 places and sent them to the laboratory. Further action will be taken based on the report, he said. The assistant commissioner also said all the shopkeepers have been warned not to mix any unwanted substance in any food item, let alone 'prasadam'. Playing with the health of people will not be tolerated at any cost, he said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's claim that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus during the previous government has triggered a massive political row, with the YSRCP accusing Naidu of indulging in "heinous allegations" for political gains and the TDP circulating a lab report to back its claim. During an NDA legislature party meeting on Wednesday, Naidu claimed that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government did not even spare the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati and used substandard ingredients and animal fat to make laddus. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tirupati laddu row: 'Prasadam' samples collected from famous temples of Mathura

While the controversy surrounding the presence of animal fat in prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple in India's Andhra Pradesh had barely died down, a devotee has now claimed that she&nbsp;found&nbsp;tobacco in the laddoo offered at the temple.

The devotee, Donthu Padmavati, a resident of&nbsp;Khammam district, said she found tobacco in the prasadam during her visit to the Temple last week. She had brought the laddoos home to share with family and neighbours when she made the shocking discovery.&nbsp;

"As I was about to distribute the laddoo, I was horrified to find pieces of tobacco wrapped in a small paper.&nbsp;The prasadam is supposed to be sacred, and to find such contamination is heartbreaking," she said.&nbsp;

The development, if true, adds to the recent revelations and raises serious questions on the integrity of the temple board, under whose nose, adulterated products have found their way into the offerings - revered by the millions of devotees visiting the holy site.

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the below media

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It's really heartbreaking to see the affairs of Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple 💔 
 
Amber (Tobacco/Gutka) cover is found in Tirumala Laddu Prasada of a devotee 
 
Recently a few friends of mine who had travelled to the temple for darshan have found cigarette buds… <a href="https://t.co/Lobqh8S3U9">pic.twitter.com/Lobqh8S3U9</a>
— Karnataka Weather (@Bnglrweatherman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bnglrweatherman/status/1838171484067598381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tirupati-laddu-row-new-vendor-appointed-promises-of-purity-760801" target="_blank">Watch |&nbsp;Tirupati Laddu Row: New vendor appointed, promises of purity</a>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tirupati-laddu-row-new-vendor-appointed-promises-of-purity-760801/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<h2>Purification ritual</h2>

The incident came to light after a purification ritual was carried out in the temple as reports claimed that prasadam prepared in the kitchen was adulterated with animal fats, including beef tallows.

The ritual called the Mahashanti Yagam was performed in strict accordance with the shastras (manual with rules) on Monday (Sep 23) early morning.&nbsp;

Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shamala Rao, along with other officials and priests, participated in the&nbsp;purification ritual.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/andhra-deputy-cm-pawan-kalyan-to-undergo-11-day-penance-after-tirupati-laddoo-row-760820" target="_blank">Also read |&nbsp;Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to undergo 11-day penance after Tirupati 'laddoo' row</a>

The controversy erupted after Chief Minister&nbsp;Chandrababu Naidu last week alleged that his predecessor Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddoos.&nbsp;

A lab report from Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples.

(With inputs from agencies)

While the controversy surrounding the presence of animal fat in prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple in India's Andhra Pradesh had barely died down, a devotee has now claimed that she found tobacco in the laddoo offered at the temple.

While the controversy surrounding the presence of animal fat in prasadam (offering) at the Tirupati temple in India's Andhra Pradesh had barely died down, a devotee has now claimed that she found tobacco in the laddoo offered at the temple. The devotee, Donthu Padmavati, a resident of Khammam district, said she found tobacco in the prasadam during her visit to the Temple last week. She had brought the laddoos home to share with family and neighbours when she made the shocking discovery. "As I was about to distribute the laddoo, I was horrified to find pieces of tobacco wrapped in a small paper. The prasadam is supposed to be sacred, and to find such contamination is heartbreaking," she said. The development, if true, adds to the recent revelations and raises serious questions on the integrity of the temple board, under whose nose, adulterated products have found their way into the offerings - revered by the millions of devotees visiting the holy site. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the below media It's really heartbreaking to see the affairs of Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple 💔 Amber (Tobacco/Gutka) cover is found in Tirumala Laddu Prasada of a devotee Recently a few friends of mine who had travelled to the temple for darshan have found cigarette buds… pic.twitter.com/Lobqh8S3U9 — Karnataka Weather (@Bnglrweatherman) September 23, 2024 × Watch | Tirupati Laddu Row: New vendor appointed, promises of purity Purification ritual The incident came to light after a purification ritual was carried out in the temple as reports claimed that prasadam prepared in the kitchen was adulterated with animal fats, including beef tallows. The ritual called the Mahashanti Yagam was performed in strict accordance with the shastras (manual with rules) on Monday (Sep 23) early morning. Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shamala Rao, along with other officials and priests, participated in the purification ritual. Also read | Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to undergo 11-day penance after Tirupati 'laddoo' row The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu last week alleged that his predecessor Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddoos. A lab report from Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples. (With inputs from agencies)

Tirupati prasadam row: Devotee claims tobacco found in laddoo after animal fat - Watch

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has responded to the allegations that during&nbsp;his tenure, animal fat, including beef tallow was used to make&nbsp;Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering.&nbsp;

Reddy called the lab report false and accused Telugu Desam Party&nbsp;(TDP) leader and incumbent CM Chandrababu Naidu of using "faith for politics". The YSR Congress Party leader added that the contentious products were found in the offering when Naidu&nbsp;was already the CM of the state.&nbsp;

"We got to know that the quality of ghee was bad and immediately informed the Chief Minister Naidu," Reddy said.&nbsp;

"The tender process occurs every six months, and the qualification criteria has not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL certificate and a product quality certificate. TTD collects samples from the ghee, and only products that pass certification are used. TDP is politicising religious matters. We have rejected the products in our regime 18 times," he further explained.&nbsp;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ncbn</a> 100 రోజుల అసమర్థ పాలనపై అందరూ దృష్టి పెట్టేసరికి.. నెయ్యి కల్తీ అంటూ డైవర్షన్ పాలిటిక్స్‌ను స్టార్ట్ చేశాడు 
 
దేవుడిని కూడా రాజకీయాల కోసం ఉపయోగించుకోవాలనే దుర్మార్గమైన మనస్తత్వం ఈ ప్రపంచ చరిత్రలో ఒక్క చంద్రబాబుకి మాత్రమే ఉంది 
 
-<a href="https://twitter.com/ysjagan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ysjagan</a> గారు, వైయస్‌ఆర్‌సీపీ అధ్యక్షులు… <a href="https://t.co/tL4WBFaKN1">pic.twitter.com/tL4WBFaKN1</a>
— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) <a href="https://twitter.com/YSRCParty/status/1837079271765848459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Reddy said he was writing a letter to the PM and Chief Justice of India&nbsp;to plead his case. 

"Ultimately, at the end of the day, I myself am writing a letter to the Prime Minister. I am also writing a letter to the Chief Justice of India. I am explaining to them as to how Chandrababu Naidu twisted the facts and why action should be taken against him for having done so."

<h2>What is the 'laddoo' controversy?</h2>

The controversy erupted after Naidu on Wednesday (Sep 18) alleged that the Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddus, which included animal fat and fish oil.

On Thursday (Sep 19), a lab report from&nbsp;Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab, which confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples went viral on social media.&nbsp;

The report, dated July 16, 2024, was presented by TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy in a press conference.

"The lab reports of samples that were sent for testing to the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee that was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7," Reddy said in a press conference.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tirupati-prasadam-row-indian-minister-calls-for-detailed-probe-into-andhra-cm-naidus-allegation-760385">Also read |&nbsp;Indian minister calls for detailed probe into Andhra CM Naidu's allegation</a>

The uproar has led to&nbsp;Indian Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi calling for a detailed probe into the allegations.&nbsp;

"Whatever the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said is a very serious matter, it should be investigated in detail and whoever is guilty should be punished," said&nbsp;Joshi.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has responded to the allegations that during his tenure, animal fat, including beef tallow was used to make Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has responded to the allegations that during his tenure, animal fat, including beef tallow was used to make Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering. Reddy called the lab report false and accused Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and incumbent CM Chandrababu Naidu of using "faith for politics". The YSR Congress Party leader added that the contentious products were found in the offering when Naidu was already the CM of the state. "We got to know that the quality of ghee was bad and immediately informed the Chief Minister Naidu," Reddy said. "The tender process occurs every six months, and the qualification criteria has not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL certificate and a product quality certificate. TTD collects samples from the ghee, and only products that pass certification are used. TDP is politicising religious matters. We have rejected the products in our regime 18 times," he further explained. .@ncbn 100 రోజుల అసమర్థ పాలనపై అందరూ దృష్టి పెట్టేసరికి.. నెయ్యి కల్తీ అంటూ డైవర్షన్ పాలిటిక్స్‌ను స్టార్ట్ చేశాడు దేవుడిని కూడా రాజకీయాల కోసం ఉపయోగించుకోవాలనే దుర్మార్గమైన మనస్తత్వం ఈ ప్రపంచ చరిత్రలో ఒక్క చంద్రబాబుకి మాత్రమే ఉంది -@ysjagan గారు, వైయస్‌ఆర్‌సీపీ అధ్యక్షులు… pic.twitter.com/tL4WBFaKN1 — YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) September 20, 2024 × Reddy said he was writing a letter to the PM and Chief Justice of India to plead his case. "Ultimately, at the end of the day, I myself am writing a letter to the Prime Minister. I am also writing a letter to the Chief Justice of India. I am explaining to them as to how Chandrababu Naidu twisted the facts and why action should be taken against him for having done so." What is the 'laddoo' controversy? The controversy erupted after Naidu on Wednesday (Sep 18) alleged that the Reddy-led government allowed the use of substandard ingredients in the preparation of laddus, which included animal fat and fish oil. On Thursday (Sep 19), a lab report from Gujarat’s NDDB CALF lab, which confirmed the presence of lard, beef tallow and fish oil in ghee samples went viral on social media. The report, dated July 16, 2024, was presented by TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy in a press conference. "The lab reports of samples that were sent for testing to the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee that was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7," Reddy said in a press conference. Also read | Indian minister calls for detailed probe into Andhra CM Naidu's allegation The uproar has led to Indian Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi calling for a detailed probe into the allegations. "Whatever the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said is a very serious matter, it should be investigated in detail and whoever is guilty should be punished," said Joshi. (With inputs from agencies)

Tirupati Prasadam row: Ex-Andhra CM Jagan Reddy says lab report false, blames Naidu for playing faith politics

Amid the raging row over “adulteration” of the ‘prasadam’ at the globally renowned Tirupati temple, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday trained guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accused it of “polarising” the discourse in an election season.

Khera, the Congress national spokesperson, alleged that BJP is trying to gain political mileage by allowing conspiracy theories to fly thick in the air, even as the startling claims about Tirupati laddus remain to be substantiated.

He, however, said that if the claims of desecration of Tirupati Laddus are proven right, a full-fledged inquiry must identify the guilty and the strictest possible punishment must be meted out.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-judge-faces-scs-ire-after-calling-muslim-majority-area-mini-pakistan-760326">Karnataka judge faces SC's ire after calling Muslim-majority area 'mini-Pakistan'</a>

“If the claims are wrong or motivated, millions of Tirupati devotees will not forgive those playing with their faith. Until then, it suits the BJP to allow polarising conspiracy theories to fly thick in the air in election season,” Khera wrote on social media platform X.

The massive row over the “desecration” of Tirupati temple prasadam broke out after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made startling claims about how the laddus were adulterated under the regime of the YSR Congress led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Watch |&nbsp;Chandrababu Naidu Alleges Animal Fat In Tirupati Laddoo, YSR Congress Refutes Claim

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He said that animal fat including “beef tallow” was being used in Tirupati ‘prasadam’ instead of ghee at the famed Sri Venkateswara temple, hurting the religious sentiments of crores of Lord’s devotees.

While the allegations triggered a political slugfest, with TDP and YSR Congress taking shots at each other, a laboratory report emerged on Thursday evening, corroborating the allegations.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tirupati-prasad-row-ysrcp-moves-andhra-high-court-after-cm-naidus-allegation-of-adulteration-760344">Tirupati Prasad row: YSRCP moves Andhra High Court after CM Naidu's allegation of adulteration</a>

It confirmed the use of beef tallow, fish oil and tard (related to pig fat) in the laddus distributed to crores of devotees at Tirupati.

A couple of YSR Congress spokespersons dismissed it as a ploy by CM Naidu’s TDP to “discredit and malign” former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and also an attempt to consolidate Hindu votes.

Many BJP leaders, including Union Minister Sanjay Kumar Bandi, have demanded a detailed probe to identify the culprits and strict punishment for the act of “sacrilege” against Lord Venkateswara.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Amid the raging row over “adulteration” of the ‘prasadam’ at the globally renowned Tirupati temple, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday trained guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accused it of “polarising” the discourse in an election season.

Amid the raging row over “adulteration” of the ‘prasadam’ at the globally renowned Tirupati temple, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday trained guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accused it of “polarising” the discourse in an election season. Khera, the Congress national spokesperson, alleged that BJP is trying to gain political mileage by allowing conspiracy theories to fly thick in the air, even as the startling claims about Tirupati laddus remain to be substantiated. He, however, said that if the claims of desecration of Tirupati Laddus are proven right, a full-fledged inquiry must identify the guilty and the strictest possible punishment must be meted out. Also Read | Karnataka judge faces SC's ire after calling Muslim-majority area 'mini-Pakistan' “If the claims are wrong or motivated, millions of Tirupati devotees will not forgive those playing with their faith. Until then, it suits the BJP to allow polarising conspiracy theories to fly thick in the air in election season,” Khera wrote on social media platform X. The massive row over the “desecration” of Tirupati temple prasadam broke out after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made startling claims about how the laddus were adulterated under the regime of the YSR Congress led by Jagan Mohan Reddy. Watch | Chandrababu Naidu Alleges Animal Fat In Tirupati Laddoo, YSR Congress Refutes Claim × He said that animal fat including “beef tallow” was being used in Tirupati ‘prasadam’ instead of ghee at the famed Sri Venkateswara temple, hurting the religious sentiments of crores of Lord’s devotees. While the allegations triggered a political slugfest, with TDP and YSR Congress taking shots at each other, a laboratory report emerged on Thursday evening, corroborating the allegations. Also Read | Tirupati Prasad row: YSRCP moves Andhra High Court after CM Naidu's allegation of adulteration It confirmed the use of beef tallow, fish oil and tard (related to pig fat) in the laddus distributed to crores of devotees at Tirupati. A couple of YSR Congress spokespersons dismissed it as a ploy by CM Naidu’s TDP to “discredit and malign” former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and also an attempt to consolidate Hindu votes. Many BJP leaders, including Union Minister Sanjay Kumar Bandi, have demanded a detailed probe to identify the culprits and strict punishment for the act of “sacrilege” against Lord Venkateswara. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Pawan Khera blames BJP for creating 'conspiracy theories' around Tirupati 'prasadam' row

Days after Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu alleged former YSRCP government for adulterating the Tirupati Prasadam with "animal fat," the YSRCP on Friday moved to the Andhra Pradesh High Court demanding an investigation into the claims made by the ruling party.

The lawyers representing the YSRCP, requested the court that either a sitting judge or a committee should be appointed by the High Court to investigate the claims made by the Chief Minister. The bench suggested that a PIL be filed by Wednesday, stating that the arguments would be heard on that day.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan urged for the constitution of a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' to look into issues related to temples across the country.

In a post on X on Friday, Pawan Kalyan assured strict action on the ongoing laddu controversy in Tirupati and added that this matter points to many issues surrounding "desecration of temples, its land issues and other dharmic practices."

The Deputy Chief Minister also called for national-level debate on the matter and urged for a collective fight against "desecration of Sanathana Dharma in any form."

Meanwhile, former TTD Chairman YV Subbareddy denied the TDP claims and said that only organic ingredients were used in the preparations of the Prsadam.

"All the ingredients used for Swami's offerings from last three 3 years are all organic ingredients including ghee. This is a very vile allegation that our&nbsp;government and our party, which have done so many programs while protecting the sanctity of Swami, are doing so many programs to mislead the people," he said.

On Thursday, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video clip in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was seen saying that&nbsp;previously animal fat was used in consecrated sweets--'Tirupati Prasadam' instead of 'Ghee' at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. CM Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy in the matter.

In a post on X, Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh said that he was shocked by the findings and added, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam."

"Shame on YS Jagan and the YSR party government that couldn't respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," he added.

Citing a copy of a "lab report," TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged that "beef tallow and animal fat--lard and fish oil--were used in the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala."

"The lab reports of samples that were sent for testing to the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee that was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7. The Hindu religion is offended by this. The 'prasadam' which is offered to the Lord thrice a day has been mixed with this ghee," Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged.

"We hope that justice will be done and Lord Govinda will forgive us for whatever mistakes have been committed," he said.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Days after Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu alleged former YSRCP government for adulterating the Tirupati Prasadam with "animal fat," the YSRCP on Friday moved to the Andhra Pradesh High Court demanding an investigation into the claims made by the ruling party.

Days after Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu alleged former YSRCP government for adulterating the Tirupati Prasadam with "animal fat," the YSRCP on Friday moved to the Andhra Pradesh High Court demanding an investigation into the claims made by the ruling party. The lawyers representing the YSRCP, requested the court that either a sitting judge or a committee should be appointed by the High Court to investigate the claims made by the Chief Minister. The bench suggested that a PIL be filed by Wednesday, stating that the arguments would be heard on that day. Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan urged for the constitution of a 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board' to look into issues related to temples across the country. In a post on X on Friday, Pawan Kalyan assured strict action on the ongoing laddu controversy in Tirupati and added that this matter points to many issues surrounding "desecration of temples, its land issues and other dharmic practices." The Deputy Chief Minister also called for national-level debate on the matter and urged for a collective fight against "desecration of Sanathana Dharma in any form." Meanwhile, former TTD Chairman YV Subbareddy denied the TDP claims and said that only organic ingredients were used in the preparations of the Prsadam. "All the ingredients used for Swami's offerings from last three 3 years are all organic ingredients including ghee. This is a very vile allegation that our government and our party, which have done so many programs while protecting the sanctity of Swami, are doing so many programs to mislead the people," he said. On Thursday, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video clip in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was seen saying that previously animal fat was used in consecrated sweets--'Tirupati Prasadam' instead of 'Ghee' at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. CM Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy in the matter. In a post on X, Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh said that he was shocked by the findings and added, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam." "Shame on YS Jagan and the YSR party government that couldn't respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," he added. Citing a copy of a "lab report," TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged that "beef tallow and animal fat--lard and fish oil--were used in the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala." "The lab reports of samples that were sent for testing to the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee that was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7. The Hindu religion is offended by this. The 'prasadam' which is offered to the Lord thrice a day has been mixed with this ghee," Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy alleged. "We hope that justice will be done and Lord Govinda will forgive us for whatever mistakes have been committed," he said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.