Jagan Reddy cancels visit to Tirupati temple amid ‘animal fat’ in laddu row

YSR Congress (YSRCP) Chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has cancelled his planned visit to Tirumala, the revered Hindu temple in Tirupati, amid the controversy over allegations that animal fat was used in the preparation of the temple’s prasadam laddus. The decision was made to avoid any disruptions or safety concerns during his visit.
Reddy, who was scheduled to visit the temple, emphasised his concern for the safety and convenience of the large number of visitors.
The YSR Congress chief was about to visit the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala Hills as part of the statewide temple rituals called for by the party to atone for the “sin” allegedly committed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu through his allegations on Tirupati laddus.
Ahead of his visit to the temple, Jagan made the announcement at a press conference, and accused the state government of obstructing his visit to the Tirumala temple.
“The demon rule is continuing in the state. The government is trying to obstruct my upcoming visit to the Tirumala temple. Police have issued notices to YSRCP leaders across the state regarding the temple visit. The notice states that a visit to the Tirumala temple is not permitted, and the program organised by YSRCP does not have the necessary approval. Consequently, leaders are not allowed to participate in that programme,” former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
Jagan Mohan Reddy criticised the state government and accused it of using the Tirupati laddus controversy to distract from real issues. Reddy stated, “On one hand, they serve notices to obstruct my visit, while on the other, BJP cadres are entering the state, and heavy police deployment is seen at multiple locations. I’m unsure if the BJP leadership is aware of this.”
“Chandrababu Naidu is falsely claiming that animal fat was used in the preparation of the Tirumala laddus, which is an attack on the sanctity and pride of the temple. Is this justified? Chandrababu Naidu is blatantly lying about the TTD Laddu Prasadam,” Reddy asserted.
Reddy responded strongly to allegations made by Chandrababu Naidu regarding the use of animal fat in the ghee used for the sacred Tirupati laddus. He defended the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) tendering process, dismissing Naidu’s claims as baseless.
Reddy explained that the TTD follows a strict and transparent process for procuring ingredients, including ghee, which is used in the preparation of the laddus. “Every six months, tenders for the laddu are called, and the L1 bidder, who offers the lowest price, is approved by the TTD board. There is no government interference. The TTD board is also composed of individuals recommended by Union Ministers and other state CMs, making it a special body.”
Reddy also pointed out that the issue of ghee rejection due to quality concerns has been a regular occurrence during both his and Naidu’s tenures. “From 2014 to 2019, under Chandrababu Naidu’s regime, ghee was rejected 14-15 times due to quality issues. Similarly, from 2019 to 2024, ghee was rejected 18 times. This is part of a stringent process to ensure quality,” Reddy said.
The development comes days after Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous YSRCP government used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making the laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.
The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country.