Adulteration of Tirumala laddu ghee a grave offence; guilty will be punished: Dy CM

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday launched a scathing attack over the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of Tirumala Srivari Laddu prasadam, terming it a most serious offence and asserting that those responsible would face stringent punishment.

Participating in a debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Tirumala laddu controversy, the Deputy Chief Minister said any attack on Hindu faith must be unequivocally condemned, transcending language, caste, and regional divisions. “If such acts are not collectively denounced, the pattern will continue,” he warned.

Citing reports, Pawan Kalyan said the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) had found traces of animal fat in the ghee samples, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the CBI reportedly concluded that the substance supplied was not pure ghee at all. According to the SIT findings, palm oil and other chemical substances were allegedly used in its preparation, with no milk involved in the manufacturing process.

Describing the act as a planned conspiracy to defile the sacred prasadam of Lord Venkateswara, he said the investigation named 36 accused persons and pointed to systematic dilution of tender norms to favour certain suppliers. Eligibility criteria such as minimum turnover and milk procurement capacity were allegedly reduced to enable select firms to secure contracts between 2020 and 2023.

The Deputy Chief Minister claimed that during the period from 2019 to 2024, nearly 11 crore devotees visited Tirumala and over 48.76 crore laddus were sold, of which approximately 20.10 crore were allegedly prepared using the adulterated product. He said even consignments distributed during significant religious occasions had come under scrutiny.

Holding the previous Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board accountable, Pawan Kalyan said the responsibility rests with those who oversaw procurement decisions. “This is not a political allegation but a matter of faith and accountability,” he asserted, adding that defiling temple offerings amounts to moral and legal wrongdoing.