Laddu row: Is TTD Executive Officer’s statement not enough, Jagan asks CM Naidu

Amaravati, Sep 29 (IANS) Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has again questioned the claims by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that adulterated ghee was used to make Tirupati laddus when YSR Congress Party was in power.

On Sunday, the YSR Congress Party Chief said that the statements of the Executive Officer (EO) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) appointed by Chandrababu Naidu’s government debunk TDP President’s claims.

“What is the meaning of this? Is this evidence not enough,” asked Jagan Mohan Reddy to the Chief Minister in a post on ‘X’. “Satyameva Jayate,” added Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The former chief minister posted videos of the statements made by CM Naidu and TTD EO Shyamala Rao since July 18 when the TDP chief first claimed that animal fat was present in the ghee used for making laddu ‘prasadam’ at Sri Venkateswara temple.

Jagan Mohan Reddy cited the TTD EO’s statement of July 23. Rao had said that TTD found vegetable fat mixed in the ghee and rejected two tankers. On September 18, CM Naidu alleged that animal fat was used instead of ghee in laddu preparation.

Two days after CM Naidu’s allegation, the TTD EO made a statement. “After discovering that the ghee was adulterated, we rejected and sent four tankers back,” Rao said.

The YSR Congress president also cited another statement made by CM Naidu on September 22. He had maintained that four tankers had already arrived and the ghee from them was used.

After Jagan Mohan Reddy addressed a press conference on Friday, accusing CM Naidu of “tarnishing” the sanctity of Tirumala with his false allegation, the Chief Minister said, “We used the ghee, but the exact details of where it was used are irrelevant.”

The YSR Congress leader also posted a video from his press conference to reiterate the allegation against CM Naidu.

“What happened during the so-called controversy on laddus? Chandrababu Naidu has lowered Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s reputation. The pride of our laddus has been diminished. He intentionally planted a seed of doubt that laddus were not good to eat even though he knew very well that he was lying,” said the YSR Congress President.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to severely reprimand CM Naidu, tagged central ministers, top leaders of BJP, and its allies.

–IANS

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