Tirupati Prasadam controversy: Jagan urges PM Modi to intervene in laddu issue

VIJAYAWADA: YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take action against the allegations made by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu regarding the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the Tirupati laddu.

In his letter, Jagan condemned Naidu for spreading propaganda about the purity of the ghee used in the preparation of Tirumala laddu. He wrote that Naidu's statements have hurt the sentiments of devotees.

He said the robustness of long-standing procurement processes and quality checks at TTD to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used in preparing the prasadam. He provided details about e-tendering, NABL-accredited lab tests, and multi-level checks before any material is used, highlighting that even during the TDP regime, similar measures were in place.

He expressed concerns over the harm these allegations could cause to TTD's reputation. He urged Modi to reprimand Naidu for his actions and bring the truth to light, restoring the trust and faith of the devotees.

Jagan said that Naidu made the controversial remarks at a political meeting, two months after the ghee tanker in question was rejected by TTD's rigorous quality control system. He alleged that Naidu made the comments to cover up his "failures" of 100 days of the new government in the state. Jagan reiterated that Naidu's claims are nothing short of an attempt to divert attention from the "failures" of his government and to further his political agenda.

Jagan requested Modi's intervention to protect the sanctity of the Tirumala temple and to prevent any further damage to the sentiments of devotees.