Tirupati laddu row: Jagan Reddy calls for statewide pooja to 'sanitise Chandrababu Naidu's sin'

YSR Congress party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy urged people to take part in a pooja in all temples across Andhra Pradesh on Saturday to "atone for the sin" allegedly committed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by saying that animal fat was used in preparing laddus at the Tirupati temple.

The announcement came after a four-hour Shanti Homam was held at Tirupati temple on September 23.

“YSRCP is calling for statewide rituals in temples to sanitise this sin committed by Chandrababu on Saturday, September 28. Chandrababu Garu, who is in the position of Chief Minister, has defiled Tirumala, Tirumala Laddu, and the specialty of Venkateswara Swamy with false propaganda,” Reddy posted on the social media platform X. According to Reddy, Naidu made the allegation with a "political motive". "Though animal fat adulteration did not occur, he intentionally lied that it happened and falsely propagated that devotees ate them," said the former Andhra CM.

Earlier, in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Reddy called Naidu a "pathological liar" and accused him of hurting the beliefs of crores of people "purely for political objectives".

The YSR Congress Party chief has said the entire country is looking at the Prime Minister and it is imperative that Naidu "be reprimanded in (the) severest way for his shameless act of spreading lies". He has demanded that the "truth be brought to light" to allay the suspicions in the minds of crores of Hindu devotees. Addressing an NDA legislative party meeting Wednesday, the CM said animal fat was used to make the laddus given as “prasad” by the Sri Venkateswara Temple under the Jagan Reddy government.