Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has strongly criticized his predecessor and YSRCP chief, Jagan Mohan Reddy, in relation to the ongoing controversy surrounding the preparation of Tirupati Balaji prasadam laddoos. Naidu has accused Reddy of attempting to justify his actions, which he termed as “shameless.” A high-level committee has been constituted by the Andhra CM to investigate the matter further.
During a press briefing in Vijayawada, it was alleged by Naidu that several procedures for procuring ghee by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) had been altered under the YSRCP government. It was further pointed out that Jagan Mohan Reddy had provided a lengthy explanation on the matter, where he suggested that the tests conducted by scientists and laboratories were false. The Andhra CM has condemned these statements as baseless.
The appointments made to the TTD board during the previous government were criticized by Naidu, who stated that the process had become akin to “gambling,” with people without faith being appointed and preferences given to non-Hindus. It was claimed that the required experience for the ghee supplier had been reduced from three years to one year under Reddy’s administration. Additionally, it was mentioned that the turnover requirement for suppliers had been lowered from Rs 250 crore to Rs 150 crore, raising concerns about the quality of ghee being supplied.
Referring to the letter written by Jagan Mohan Reddy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was suggested by Naidu that the YSRCP leader was attempting to deflect criticism by claiming that due procedures had been followed. Naidu questioned how such claims could be made when TTD reportedly lacked the infrastructure to conduct proper adulteration tests, highlighting that only NABL labs are qualified to conduct such tests.
Naidu also responded to accusations made by Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had suggested that the CM was using religion for political gain. It was said by Naidu that such claims were an attempt to divert attention from governance issues and were likely to hurt public sentiment. Naidu emphasized that an inquiry at the IGP level would be conducted, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all temples would be prepared to ensure transparency and adherence to tradition.