Amid Animal Fat Controversy, Devotee Claims Tobacco Found in Tirupati Laddu | Video

Tirupati: Amid the ongoing controversy over the Tirupati prasadam, a new storm has erupted after a woman claimed presence of tobacco in the laddu being offered to devotees.

A video of a woman has emerged wherein she can be seen alleging that she found tobacco wrapped inside a paper in the laddu that was served to her at the holy Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. This allegation has triggered a new storm with the Tirupati temple finding itself at its centre.

This development comes amid allegation that animal fat was found in Tirupati laddus which led to a war of words between the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The incident has sparked a major political row in the state, with concerns rising over the sanctity of the Tirupati temple.

The ruling TDP claimed that the laddu offered to the deity and to the followers at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala contained animal fat, leading to growing doubts over the quality control measures at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the board responsible for managing the temple.

What is Tirupati laddu controversy?

The TTD came under spotlight over Tirupati prasadam after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed last week that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were found in the laddus served to devotees at Tirupati temple during the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy's government.

Two days later, on September 20, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference said lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in chosen samples and the board is in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied "adulterated" ghee.

During an NDA legislative party meeting held recently, the TDP supremo claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making laddus.

Hitting back at Nadu, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused him of being a "habitual liar" and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging his intervention.

The state govt also formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the irregularities.

Union Health Ministry, on Monday, September 23, issued a showcause notice to AP Dairy who is accused of supplying ghee to make the now controversial laddus for the revered Tirupati temple.

The Tirupati laddu, a much-revered offering, has long been a symbol of purity and devotion for millions of pilgrims. The revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala is also known as Tirupati Balaji temple which witnesses millions of footfalls over the years with people from across the world coming to pay obeisance to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu