‘Previous govt maintained TTD solely for their own welfare’: Nara Lokesh on Tirupati laddu row

Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Minister and TDP leader Nara Lokesh criticised the YSRCP-led government over the Tirupati Laddu controversy and said that the previous government maintained Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) solely for their own and their partners' welfare.
"We warned that if God's name is misused, it will lead to devastation. From 2019 to 2024, our alliance (Janasena Telugu Desam) criticised the then-government (YSRCP) multiple times. We exposed substandard Tirumala laddu production using animal fat, supported by lab reports," he said.
"The previous government's misrule tarnished the reputation of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. We have appointed a new EO to correct past mistakes. CM Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to maintain the quality of prasadam. We have had many CMs ruling the state, but we have never seen such a government. The previous government maintained TTD solely for their own and their partners' welfare. The NDA government will bring new reforms to TTD and restore its past glory," the TDP leader added.
Earlier, BJP leader and former TTD Board Member, Bhanuprakash Reddy, condemned the alleged use of animal fat in consecrated sweets--'Tirupati Prasadam' at Sri Venkateswara Temple and said that they would file a complaint against the previous YSRCP government that was led by former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Bhanuprakash said that during the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy, from 2019 to 2024, TTD used pure cow ghee to prepare laddu, which was adulterated later.
"After Balaji darshan, pilgrims used to have that laddu--the prasad of Balaji. During the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy, from 2019 to 2024, TTD used pure cow ghee to prepare laddu. For this, 14 tonnes of cow ghee was used daily for making laddu prasadam. Unfortunately, that was adulterated. We got a report that vegetable oil and animal fat were mixed in it," the BJP leader told ANI.
"It is a very bad thing that happened in the history of Tirumala. We are very sad and we condemn the issue. Jagan Mohan Reddy's government wantedly damaged the sentiment of Hindu pilgrims, especially Balaji's devotees. We are filing a complaint against Jagan Mohan Reddy, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, Y.V. Subba Reddy and the then Executive Officer Dharma Reddy. Right now, we are using pure cow ghee for making laddu prasadam," he added.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu made a startling allegation on Wednesday and alleged that the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy had used animal fat in consecrated sweets--'Tirupati Prasadam' instead of 'Ghee' at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.
Earlier, in a post on X, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video clip of his father, CM Naidu, addressing a gathering and wrote, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the ysjagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam."
"Shame on ysjagan and the ysrcparty government that couldn't respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," he said.
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.
The NDA alliance, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena (JS), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to power in Andhra Pradesh earlier this year following a landslide victory in the assembly polls. The alliance ousted the YSCRP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. (ANI)