Tirupati laddoo row: Tirupati temple trust confirms 'highly adulterated' laddoos, vows legal action in ongoing row
PTC News Desk: In its first response to the ongoing Tirupati laddoo controversy, the Tirupati Temple Trust announced on Friday that it would take legal action after confirming the adulteration of the sacred prasad.
Addressing the media, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer J Syamala Rao stated, “A proper laddoo is made exclusively with pure cow ghee. Under the clear instructions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, we conducted a thorough examination of the samples. We have issued warnings to those violating the norms and initially threatened to blacklist them.”
#WATCH | Tirupati Laddu Prasadam row | Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam (TTD) Shamala Rao says, "When I took over as executive officer TTD, the CM expressed concern on the ghee procured and the quality of the laddu which is considered to be very sacred and… pic.twitter.com/GE62HVU1cy — ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2024
He further added, “The samples we tested were highly adulterated, and legal action will follow soon.”
The controversy erupted after Naidu claimed that animal fat had been used in making the laddoos during the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy administration, sparking a heated political debate. In response, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) accused Naidu of making "heinous allegations" for political purposes.
“Tirumala Venkateshwara Swamy is a revered deity for Hindus. Every devotee aspires to visit the temple at least once in their lifetime,” the Trust official remarked, underscoring the sacred nature of the issue.
The official also noted that after assuming the role of executive officer at TTD under the new administration, Chief Minister Naidu expressed concern over the quality of the laddoos and the ghee used. Complaints regarding animal fat in the prasad had been brought to Naidu’s attention, prompting further investigation.
Referring to a Gujarat-based laboratory report that allegedly confirmed the adulteration, the official stated, “While TTD doesn’t have its own labs to test for adulteration, we rely on private labs certified with NABL testing standards. However, even in those labs, we discovered testing procedures were not conducted properly.”
He emphasized that the previous administration used cheap-quality ghee to cut costs, leading to the adulteration issue. “Pure ghee is expensive, and unfortunately, inferior ghee was used under the previous regime.”
The TTD also accused Raaj Milk – AR Dairy Food Private Limited, a ghee supplier from Tamil Nadu, of non-compliance. “All other suppliers complied with our instructions, but AR Dairy failed to do so,” the official explained.
“Four of their trucks were inspected on July 6 and 12, after which we sent their samples for external testing. The abnormalities were confirmed by a lab in Gujarat’s Anand,” he added.
The lab results revealed significant violations, with lard (pig fat) content at 116, well above the permissible level of 102. Additionally, palm oil and beef tallow content combined to 23.2, indicating contamination with various animal fats. As a result, the supplier was blacklisted, penalties are being imposed, and legal proceedings are underway.
The Trust official also shared that the temple is exploring options to develop sensory labs and set up adulteration testing kits to prevent future occurrences of such issues.
Also Read: Tirupati laddoo row escalates to Supreme Court, petition filed to protect religious rights
- With inputs from agencies
