YSRCP MP and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy has strongly refuted allegations that nearly 20 crore Tirumala laddoos prepared between 2019 and 2024 were made using adulterated ghee. Calling the accusations “Political Propaganda” and lacking scientific validation, he said the claims were aimed at misleading devotees and stirring unnecessary controversy.
Subba Reddy said he fully welcomed the ongoing SIT investigation and was prepared to cooperate at any stage. What he opposed, he clarified, were “selective leaks, half-truths and unauthenticated claims,” which he said were shaping public opinion even before the scientific probe concludes.
“No Scientific Proof Yet, Wait For SIT Report”
The YSRCP leader recalled that similar allegations surfaced during the previous TDP government, when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had claimed that animal fat was being mixed in laddoo ghee. That matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ordered a CBI-monitored investigation.
“Now, even before the SIT submits its findings, the same narrative is being recycled. Has the SIT confirmed animal fat? Where is the lab proof?” he asked, urging political parties and devotees to await official test results.
He also highlighted that four ghee tankers considered suspicious were rejected outright and never used in laddoo preparation. “How are these tankers being cited again when officials have already clarified they were returned?” he questioned, pointing out how accusations first mentioned vegetable fat and later shifted to animal fat, raising doubts over the credibility of the claims.
Subba Reddy warned that such unverified allegations could undermine the faith of crores of devotees who treat the Tirumala laddoo as sacred.
Procurement Price Row & Counter-Claims
Responding to criticism over procurement costs, Subba Reddy said ghee purchased at ₹326 per kg during YSRCP’s tenure was being branded adulterated without evidence, while ghee bought at lower rates in 2017 and 2018 under the TDP government faced no scrutiny.
“If price alone is the benchmark, should that earlier ghee also be labelled impure?” he asked, accusing the opposition of using “misinformation as a political weapon” to malign the previous administration and tarnish Tirumala’s sanctity.
TDP, NDA Maintain Pressure; Accusations Intensify
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu doubled down on his allegations, stating that the previous administration compromised on quality and used substandard ingredients, including animal fat. He claimed the current government had restored the tradition of using pure ghee, questioning how YSRCP-era ghee could be procured at ₹319 per kg when even palm oil cost more at the time.
TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy escalated the charge, asserting that National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) lab tests detected fish oil, palm oil, lard, and beef tallow in samples of ghee supplied during the earlier regime. He demanded accountability from Subba Reddy and urged total transparency in the SIT probe.
TDP MLA Gandi Babji alleged large-scale corruption in ghee procurement, while NDA leaders accused the YSRCP of damaging TTD’s reputation to evade responsibility. TDP MLC Deepak Reddy added that if adulteration was conclusively proven, it would amount to a grave violation of religious sanctity and warranted strict action.
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