'I noticed it years ago but it was a lonely battle for me': Former Tirumala temple priest on laddu row

NEW DELHI: Ramana Deekshitulu, a former priest of the Tirumala temple, claimed on Friday that he had noticed the use of impure and low-quality cow ghee for making Laddu prasad years ago.

"I observed that the cow ghee used in preparing prasad was contaminated and of poor quality. I raised this issue with the concerned authorities and the chairman of the trust board, but they ignored it. It's been a long, lonely battle for me. Now, with the new government in power, there is hope as they have promised to address the issue," said Deekshitulu.

He further stated that the new administration has already started sourcing pure cow ghee from government dairies, ensuring that prasad is now being prepared with proper ingredients. "We must ensure that such grave mistakes are never repeated in this sacred temple, where millions of devotees place their faith and devotion," he added further.

Bhanuprakash Reddy, a former TTD Board Member and BJP leader, also condemned the alleged use of animal fat, announcing plans to file a complaint against the previous YSRCP government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He claimed that between 2019 and 2024, while pure cow ghee was initially used for the famous Tirupati laddu, it was later adulterated with vegetable oil and animal fat.

The TDP government in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday released laboratory analyses of cow ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala temple trust during the YSRC government’s tenure.

The reports revealed the presence of foreign fats, including lard (pig fat), tallow (beef fat), and fish oil, sparking outrage nationwide.

In response to this issue, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) blacklisted the previous supplier and started procuring ghee from the Karnataka Milk Federation at a higher cost to ensure quality.