Andhra govt cites lab report showing animal fats in ghee used to make Tirupati laddoos, slams predecessor over row

According to a July 17 report from the Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) lab at the center-run National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat, released Wednesday, it was found that animal fat was used in ghee, which is one of the ingredients, to make the famous Tirupati laddoos when the YSRCP was in power.

The report stated that the ghee contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard, the latter of which is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.

"Even Tirupati laddoo was made with substandard ingredients... they used animal fat instead of ghee," the Chief Minister said at a legislature party meeting in Amravati on Wednesday.

He declared his government was making sure that a higher quality of ingredients was being used, including that of ghee, and that all food offerings at the iconic temple were now of improved quality.

Naidu's son and Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh also joined the attack.

"The Lord Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee... shame on them... (their) government could not respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," he slammed.

Countering the attacks, YSRCP's YV Subba Reddy wrote on X: "It has been proved once again that Chandrababu (Naidu) will not hesitate to do anything bad for the benefit of politics".

The YSRCP leader also declared himself ready "to take an oath as witnesses... in (this) case" and asked, "Is he also ready to take oath?"

The Congress, meanwhile, has slammed the YSR Congress, with the former Chief Minister's sister, who is now the chief of the Congress' state unit, demanding a high-level CBI inquiry.

The claim, she said on X, is "damaging to the sanctity of the deity worshipped by millions of Hindus".

"If there are no political angles to your allegations... if you have no intention of playing politics on this issue... form a high-level committee or call for a CBI inquiry. Find out who is responsible," she said.