'Animal fat' in Tirupati laddus: Who supplied ghee to Balaji temple and why did Nandini opt out? Who said what?

Tirupati laddus row news: The controversy over Tirupati laddus or laddoos has snowballed into a massive political slugfest, with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which manages the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, backing chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's claim that the famous ‘prasadam’ had animal fat and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSRCP dubbing the accusations as “atrocious”.

As the controversy over the Tirupati laddus intensified, the Centre stepped in on Friday, with Union health minister JP Nadda seeking a report on the matter from the Andhra Pradesh government and promising suitable action after examining it. Food minister Pralhad Joshi called for an investigation into the allegations.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams said

Addressing a press conference in Tirupati on Friday, TTD executive officer J Shyamala Rao claimed that lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat, 'Lard' (pig fat) and other impurities and the board was in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied 'adulterated' ghee.

Also Read | Tirupati Laddus row: ‘Never supplied ghee to Tirupati temple,’ says Amul

The TTD's statement comes a day after the ruling Telugu Desam Party or TDP circulated a lab report to back N Chandrababu Naidu's allegation that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP government.

Now, the legal process will start, Shyamala Rao said and noted that the suppliers took advantage of a lack of an in-house testing facility.

“Now the reason for the lack of quality is not having an in-house lab, sending the samples to outside labs for testing and unviable rates,” Rao said.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi reacts to alleged use of ‘animal fat’ in Tirupati Laddu: ‘This issue will…’

He highlighted that the suppliers took advantage of these deficiencies, who supplied ghee between ₹320 and ₹411 and called this price band as unviable for supplying pure cow ghee.

"Even after warning, four ghee tankers sent by AR Foods were prima facie found to be of substandard quality. The S-value analysis carried out on the sample sent to the reputed NDDB CALF, Anand (lab), fell outside the standard limits, suggesting the presence of foreign fats such as soya bean, sunflower, palm kernel fat or even lard and beef tallow," said Rao.

Further, he noted that these samples also indicated the presence of vegetable oil contamination.

What TDP claimed on Tirupati laddus

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy at a press conference on Thursday claimed that the adulteration has been confirmed by a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, on the ghee samples provided by the TTD.

Reddy displayed the purported lab report which apparently confirmed the presence of "beef tallow", “Lard” and “Fish Oil” in the given ghee sample. The sample receipt date was July 9, 2024 and the lab report was dated July 16.

What did Chandrababu Naidu say on Tirupati laddus?

Addressing a public meeting in Prakasam district, CM Chandrababu Naidu alleged the previous regime bought inferior quality ghee at cheaper prices affecting the quality of Laddu and damaged the sacredness of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

"Today we have changed the ghee supplier. We started purchasing Nandini brand ghee from Karnataka. People are saying their sentiments were hurt (following allegations of adulterated ghee and presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddus). When the sentiments were hurt, should I spare them (culprits) when unpardonable mistakes were committed," Chandrababu Naidu asked, asserting people have faith in their respective religions.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy hits back

Former CM and YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy described the matter as "diversion politics", and slammed it as a “concocted story”.

Reddy said the adulteration issue was taken up to divert the public attention from the state government's 100 days of rule and alleged that Naidu is such a person who would use God also for political gains.

“This is diversion politics. On the one hand, people are expressing their anger at Chandrababu Naidu's 100 days' rule. They are demanding what happened to their 'Super six' (poll promises). Under these circumstances, in order to divert the public attention, this concocted story,” Reddy claimed.

“Is it fair to play with the sentiments of crores of devotees across the world,” Reddy asked CM Naidu.

Reddy added that all samples, tests and results mentioned in lab test reports as evidence occurred under the NDA government.

Jagan Mohan Reddy to write to CJI Chandrachud, PM Modi

Reddy also said he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud over Naidu's alleged undermining conduct towards the Tirumala deity.

What Tirupati ghee supplier AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd said

The Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Private Limited, a company that supplied ghee to Tirupati Lord Balaji temple, said its product samples have been duly cleared by authorities certifying its quality.

The Dindigul-based firm said only during June and July did it supply ghee to the Tirumala temple. Even when it was supplied, it was sent along with duly accredited lab reports.

Never supplied ghee to Tirupati temple: Amul

Amul issued a clarification on Friday stating that it had never supplied ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).

After posts on various social media platforms, Amul.coop posted a statement on X, stating that Amul Ghee was never supplied to the TTD.

"This is in reference to some social media posts mentioning that Amul Ghee was being supplied to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). We wish to inform that we have never supplied Amul Ghee to TTD," the statement read.

"We also wish to clarify Amul Ghee is made from milk at our state-of-the-art production facilities, which are ISO certified. Amul Ghee is made from high-quality pure milk fat. The milk received at our dairies passes through stringent quality checks, including adulteration detection as specified by FSSAI," it added.

Why was Nandini ghee supply to Tirupati temple was halted last year?

Karnataka Muzrai minister Ramalinga Reddy announced on Friday that all prasada offered at major temples in the state will be tested. He added that only Nandini ghee supplied by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) will be used in making the prasada at these temples.

"A circular will be issued today or tomorrow to all major temples in Karnataka mandating the use of only KMF's Nandini ghee in prasada. We will also test the prasada given at these temples," Reddy said.

In 2023, the KMF reportedly opted out of a tender for supplying ghee to TTD. The KMF said it was selling ghee at ₹400 per kilogram and couldn't match the lower prices offered by other companies to the TTD, News18 reported.

The federation, at that time, maintained that it was unwilling to compromise on quality and that reducing prices would result in loss to it and it has to serve the interest of farmers.

However, the KMF began supplying Nandini ghee to Tirupati within the past month following chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s directive to improve the quality of laddus.

Sharp reaction from Lord Venkateswara temple's ex-priest

Former chief priest of Lord Venkateswara temple, Ramana Deekshitulu expressed anguish over reports of adulteration in the ingredients used for making the sacred 'laddu prasadam.'

He claimed he had taken the quality-related deficiencies to the notice of the executive officer and TTD board chairman but in vain. He urged CM Naidu to take corrective measures to address the situation.

(With inputs from agencies)