Tirupati laddu row: Citing lab reports, Andhra minister debunks YSRCP's claim of clean chit

Amaravati: Stepping up the heat on the YSRCP over the Tirupati laddu controversy, the Andhra government on Saturday said the ghee samples sent to different labs had revealed the possibility of animal fats and accused the opposition party of having no faith in Sri Venkateswara Swamy, the presiding deity of the holy Tirumala hill shrine.

Addressing a press conference here, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav said the ghee samples sent to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) clearly stated that there was a possibility of the presence of animal fats, and that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had quoted the same report while addressing a meeting earlier.

The Tirupati Laddu controversy, where Naidu had made allegations that adulterated ghee was used in the making of the sweet relished by millions of devotees thronging one of the richest temples in the world, had created a big furore.

Keshav alleged that the previous YSRCP government treated the procurement of ghee for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddus as a commercial transaction, without having faith in Sri Venkateswara Swamy.

"When such a sensational issue comes to the notice of the government, should it not be told to the public or should it be suppressed as they (YSRCP regime) did in 2022. As a responsible person he (CM Naidu) revealed it in an internal meeting," he said.

The minister alleged that the ghee samples sent to Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru in 2022 revealed that the commodity was adulterated. But the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government suppressed the report, he alleged.

Keshav said that the samples sent to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) clearly stated that there was a possibility of the presence of animal fats, and that CM Naidu had quoted the same report.

He further said the board appointed by the previous government altered the tendering condition for procurement of ghee, paving the way for smaller companies with lesser turnover.

Immediately after the state bifurcation, the new (TDP) government was formed in 2014 under the leadership of CM Naidu and it had made several changes in the TTD to curb any adulteration, and prevent an opportunity for such a malpractice, he said.

"So, they have strengthened the system of procurement of ghee in the TTD. After 2019 when Jagan Mohan Reddy government came to power, the first thing they did in the first three months was to dilute all these conditions," claimed Keshav.

According to Keshav, the previous condition was that anybody who wanted to supply ghee should have had at least three years of experience in dairy business, reported at least Rs 250 crore of turnover, have quality premises and they should have been procuring at least four lakh litres of milk in that particular year.

"All these conditions were diluted as soon as the Jagan government came to power. This is where the seeds were sown for all the scam to take place," Keshav charged.

These norms were diluted to Rs 150 crore turnover and just one year's experience, which the minister said laid the foundation for irregularities and adulteration.

Evidence before the SIT shows that adulteration began only after 2019, said Keshav.

In 2022, the CFTRI, Mysuru, confirmed adulteration, detecting chemicals, beta-sitosterol, animal fat and residual substances, he said.

Keshav said the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had submitted its chargesheet, clearly stated that the ghee adulteration fraud was to the tune of Rs 240 crore.

He also alleged that the personal assistant of YV Subba Reddy, the then TTD Chairman, Chinna Appanna received Rs 4 crore from dairy companies and that money was diverted to other accounts.

Appanna had demanded a cut of Rs 25 per litre ghee from Bole Bhaba Dairy, which had refused but the former had allegedly prevailed upon the temple body to blacklist it, promoting the dairy to come in another form, Keshav claimed.

Prior to this there was no provision for sub-contracting, so it (Bole Bhaba) came in some other form and tried to supply the ghee, he said, adding that "we all have seen how the dilution has taken place." Further, Keshav categorically sought to reject the YSRCP's "false claim" of having received a "clean chit" in the laddu adulteration case, stating that the SIT, CFTRI and NDDB reports together clearly establish adulteration, suppression of evidence and corruption during the YSRCP regime.

The minister cited Page 35 of the SIT's supplementary chargesheet, which states: "TTD received the NDDB CALF test reports on 6 July 2024 and 23 July 2024, which showed ghee adulteration with vegetable and animal fats." "The SIT and NDDB have clearly confirmed the presence of tallow and fish oil. YSRCP must state which report claims these were not present," he said. Moreover, Keshav demanded YSRCP to refrain from dragging LordSri Venkateswara into politics.

Recently, the SIT had filed the final chargesheet in Nellore ACB Court, naming 36 people as accused. They included nine TTD officials and five dairy experts. The chargesheet claimed that dairy experts colluded with the ghee manufacturers and observed that the original material which was sold to the temple body as ghee was not at all ghee, but chemically processed palmolein oil and other ingredients.

CM Naidu said in September 2024 that animal fat was used in preparing Tirupati laddus during the previous regime in the state.