Tirupati Laddu Row: Union Health Ministry Issues Showcause Notice to AR Dairy That Supplied Ghee

Tirupati: Union Health Ministry, on Monday, issued a showcause notice to AP Dairy. 

The dairy, accused of supplying ghee to make the now controversial laddus for the revered Tirupati temple, is based out of Chennai.

CM Naidu Forms SIT, Jagan Writes to PM Modi

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus, as the row reverberated across the country with demands from various quarters for steps to protect the sanctity of Hindu temples and their 'prasadam'.

While Naidu, who has blamed the previous YSRCP government, alleged that several procedures to procure ghee by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) were altered under its rule, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused him of being a "habitual liar" and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging his intervention.

Addressing a press conference at his Undavalli residence, Naidu said people's sentiments were hurt after the revelations that animal fat was allegedly used to make Tirupati laddus.

"An Inspector General level or above officer-manned SIT will be formed. It will probe all the reasons, for the misuse of power and give a report to the government. The government will take stringent action to avoid recurrences (laddu adulteration), there is no compromise," he said.

The development came as a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court, seeking a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the issue.

The petition filed by Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and the president of the Hindu Sena, has alleged that the TTD, the official custodian of the revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, by serving "laddu prasadam" prepared using animal fat has ridiculed the Hindu religion and outraged the sentiments of Hindus.

(with PTI inputs)