‘Ready to take oath that…’: Nara Lokesh amid Tirupati laddu row

The Karnataka Milk Federationsaid it has supplied Nandini ghee to the TTD only after the regime change in the state and not during the previous government’s tenure

Andhra Pradesh minister and Telugu Desam Party’s national general secretary Nara Lokesh Naidu said he is ready to take “oath before the Lord” that poor quality of ghee was used to make Tirumala temple laddus during the YSRC regime.

“The tender for procuring the ghee was awarded by the previous government. It is not the KMF (Karnataka Milk Federation). After complaints, it was tested and action was initiated,” Lokesh, son of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, said.

According to him, ghee samples were sent to NDDB CALF (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food), which confirmed the presence of animal fat. His comments came a day after CM Naidu revealed that animal fat was used for preparing the Tirumala temple Prasadam during the YSRC regime.

The laddu is distributed at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

“The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the @ysjagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam. Shame on @ysjagan and the @ysrcparty government that couldn’t respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees,” Lokesh wrote on X.

The lord venkateswara swamy temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the @ysjagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the tirupati Prasadam. Shame on @ysjagan and the @ysrcparty government that couldnt respect the religious pic.twitter.com/UDFC2WsoLP
Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) September 18, 2024

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) said it has supplied Nandini ghee to the TTD only after the regime change in the state and not during the previous government’s tenure. It issued a statement even though Naidu did not mention the federation.