Tirupati: Amid the ongoing row over the use of animal fat in laddu preparation, demand for the laddu prasadam at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh remains strong. According to data from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, over 13 lakh laddus were sold between September 20 and 23.
Despite the nationwide outcry, sales of the laddus have remained unaffected, with over three lakh laddus sold daily since September 20. TTD executive officer J Shyamala Rao assured devotees that their concerns regarding the laddus could be put to rest, as the sanctity of the prasadams has been restored through a purification ritual.
On September 19, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu accused the former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government of being involved in the adulteration of the laddu prasadam at the temple. That same day, ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy shared a report from NDDB CALF, a private laboratory, confirming that samples of the ghee used in making the Tirupati laddus contained foreign fats, including palm oil, fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat).
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a show-cause notice to a Tamil Nadu-based firm, AR Dairy Food Private Ltd, for allegedly supplying substandard ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. The notice questioned why the firm’s central license should not be suspended for violating the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.
Earlier this week, the FSSAI’s actions came amid rising calls for a thorough investigation and stringent measures regarding the alleged use of animal fat in the Tirupati laddus. A four-hour purification ritual was conducted at the shrine to appease Lord Venkateswara Swamy following allegations of “sacrilegious practices,” including the mixing of animal fats in the preparation of the laddus. Chief Minister Naidu announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations.
