Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has stirred a hornet’s nest by alleging adulteration of the ghee used in making the “laddu prasadam” of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala Hills in Tirupati district.
When Naidu made the allegation during the NDA partners' meeting a few days ago, claiming that animal fat was used in the preparation of the laddu prasadam at Tirumala, he likely did not anticipate the nationwide uproar that would follow.
According to party sources, the chief minister made the comments ostensibly to gain political mileage over the YSR Congress Party, even though reports of adulteration had surfaced in July and the TTD executive officer had informed reporters about the issue and the suspension of the contract with the supplier.
This raises the obvious question: why did Naidu choose to bring up the adulteration of the Tirumala laddu two months later? Furthermore, Naidu made a calculated statement, alleging that the ghee had been adulterated with animal fat but did not specifically mention beef tallow, fish oil, or lard (pig fat), as later reports suggested.
This has led to speculation that Naidu raised the issue purely to politically attack the YSRCP, without delving deeper into the matter. However, when former TTD chairman and Rajya Sabha member Y V Subba Reddy challenged Naidu to take an oath before Lord Venkateshwara, Naidu had no choice but to respond by having his party release the test reports.
The situation quickly escalated into a major controversy, with national media picking up the story and turning it into headline news. Almost all major national channels held special debates on the adulteration of the Tirumala laddu, and national newspapers featured it as a lead story.
In response, the Centre swiftly intervened, with BJP leaders and the Sangh Parivar launching nationwide protests over Naidu's statements and the reports from the National Dairy Development Board.
Union Minister J P Nadda and other top ministers in the Modi cabinet also spoke to Naidu, urging him to order an inquiry. As a result, Naidu convened a special meeting on the issue and called for a thorough investigation. Even TTD executive officer J Shyamala Rao was compelled to hold a press conference to confirm the adulteration.
With the issue sparking nationwide outrage, there is a possibility that the Centre may step in and order a CBI probe. Such a development would be a significant embarrassment for Naidu, as he would have to explain why he did not have the supplier arrested when the TTD discovered the adulteration.
What Naidu initially thought was a political issue is now growing into something much larger, potentially leading to serious trouble for him.
