The debate surrounding the laddoos served to devotees at the famous Tirupati temple has escalated into a significant political conflict. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, accused the Jagan Mohan Reddy government of using animal fat in laddoo preparation during Reddy’s tenure. However, Jagan Mohan Reddy, leader of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), strongly denied the allegations. The central government has requested a detailed report on the issue, and the Union Food Minister has called for an inquiry.
Daily Laddoo Production at Tirupati
The Sri Venkateswara Swami temple in Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), produces around 3 lakh laddoos daily. To make these laddoos, the temple kitchen uses approximately 1,400 kg of ghee, along with large quantities of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom, gram flour, and sugar.
TTD sources the ingredients through an e-auction process, which was introduced in 2022 to minimize human intervention. The procurement process involves a yearly budget of around ₹500 crore.
Ingredients and Certified Ghee
In order to guarantee the validity of the food testing procedure, the ghee used in the laddoos is supplied in tankers approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). In order to be used for both the preparation of prasadam and the temple’s free meal program, these tankers are kept in godowns close to Alipiri, Tirupati.
E-Auction and Tendering Process
Only agencies registered with Andhra Pradesh Technological Services can participate in the e-auction. The contracts are awarded based on technical parameters and financial factors, with AGMARK certification and FSSAI licenses being mandatory for participating agencies. Additionally, online reverse tendering is followed for orders exceeding ₹1 crore.
Ghee Controversy and Adulteration Allegations
The controversy intensified when 10 ghee tankers from AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, a Tamil Nadu-based supplier, came under suspicion for adulteration. Four tankers were stopped, and samples were sent for testing. AR Dairy defended itself, stating that its consignments passed multiple lab tests and accounted for only 0.01 percent of the ghee supplied to Tirumala.
Allegations of Animal Fat in Laddoos
The TDP government raised concerns over a report from July 17, which suggested that ghee samples from Tirupati contained fish oil, beef tallow, and lard. Naidu accused the Reddy government of compromising the quality of the laddoos by using animal fat instead of ghee. He stated, “Even Tirupati laddoo was made with substandard ingredients. They used animal fat instead of ghee.”
In response, Reddy dismissed the report as “false” and accused Naidu of exploiting religious sentiments for political gain.
TTD’s Response and Legal Action
The TTD has supported the claims made by Naidu. TTD Executive Officer J. Shyamala Rao acknowledged that suppliers took advantage of the absence of an in-house testing facility and stated that steps are being taken to blacklist the contractor involved.
The controversy has also reached the Supreme Court, with a petition filed citing a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects the right to freedom of religion, including the right to practice religious rituals.