Controversy Erupts Over Alleged Use of Animal Fat in Tirupati Prasadam

TDP spokesperson alleged that the previous YSRCP government used animal fat in the sacred 'Tirupati Prasadam'. Lab reports purportedly confirm the presence of beef tallow, lard, and fish oil in the ghee supplied to Tirumala. Chief Minister Naidu calls for justice and forgiveness for this affront to Hindu religion.

A day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous YSRCP government had used animal fat in Tirupati Prasadam, a spokesperson of the ruling TDP shared a copy of the 'lab report' and alleged that 'beef tallow and animal fat - lard, and fish oil - were used in the preparation of ghee which was supplied to Tirumala.'

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy said on Thursday that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu 'had stated yesterday that animal fat was used as one of the ingredients for the preparation of ghee which was supplied to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.'

'The lab reports of samples which were sent for testing to National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat - lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee which was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7... This is an affront to Hindu religion... 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 Govind will forgive us for whatever mistakes that have been committed,' he added.

Chandrababu Naidu made a startling allegation on Wednesday and claimed 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. 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 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 Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)