Tirupati Laddu Row Reaches SC, Nadda Seeks Report; 'Time For Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board', Says Pawan Kalyan

Amid the spiralling controversy over the presence of animal fat in the famous 'Tirupati Laddu' served as the 'prasadam' at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati, a lawyer filed a plea was on Friday in the Supreme Court seeking a probe into the matter. As per reports, the petitioner alleged that the act violates fundamental Hindu religious customs and deeply hurts the sentiments of countless devotees.

Taking cognisance of the ongoing row, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday sought a report and spoke to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu where he assured that the Centre would examine the matter and take suitable action.

Addressing a press conference on the first 100 days of the Modi government's third term, Nadda said, "I got to know about the issue through social media. I spoke to Chandrababu Naidu today and asked to send the entire report.Once we get the report, it will be examined and suitable action taken."

Time for 'Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’: Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan

Reacting to the newly surfaced controversy, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday said he was "deeply disturbed" by the findings of animal fat. The Deputy CM further suggested setting up a national board to look into the issues pertaining to temples.

“We are all deeply disturbed with the findings of animal fat (fish oil, pork fat and beef fat) mixed in Tirupati Balaji Prasad. Many questions to be answered by the TTD board constituted by YCP Govt (YSRCP government) then,” said Kalyan in a post on X.

Moreover, in light of the current development, the Janasena party chief also mentioned that time had arrived to constitute a ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ at the national level to look into all the issues related to temples in the country.

“A debate has to happen at a national level involving all policy makers, religious heads, judiciary, citizens, media and others in their respective domains,” he said.

Animal fat, substandard ingredients: AP CM Naidu's allegations

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday slammed the previous YSRCP government over alleged usage of substandard ingredients ^and animal fat in the 'laddu'

In line with Naidu's allegation, the lab report issued by the Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) under the centre-run National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat on Wednesday confirmed the presence of animal fat in ghee that was used to make the famous Tirupati laddoos. The report suggested presence of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard in the ghee.

Alleging the use of substandard ingredient, Naidu said, "Even Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients...they used animal fat instead of ghee."

Further commenting on the matter, the CM asserted that pure ghee was now being used and everything has been sanitised at the temple, leading to improved quality.

Reacting to the allegations, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and current YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday said that Naidu was trying to "divert attention" and doing "politics in the name of God".

Furtehrmore, Reddy asserted that the lab report, in which evidence of animal fat and beef oil in the laddoos was found, is from July when N Chandrababu Naidu took over as Andhra pradesh Chief Minister.

"We got to know that the quality of ghee was bad and immediately informed the Chief Minister," 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 added.