Tirupati laddoo ghee row: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy approaches SC, seeks court-monitored probe into adulteration issue

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking a court-monitored investigation into allegations that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus.

In his plea, Swamy requested that the Andhra Pradesh government provide a comprehensive report detailing the sources and testing of the ghee used in the laddoos. He also urged the court to issue an interim order to obtain a thorough forensic analysis from the relevant authorities.

The petition highlighted the need for robust internal checks and balances to ensure the quality of ingredients supplied to the temple for making the prasadams. “There should have been adequate supervision to verify the quality of the suppliers providing various ingredients,” the plea stated.

Swamy took to X to share details about his petition, writing, “Today, I filed a PIL requesting the Supreme Court to investigate the baseless allegations made by CM C.B. Naidu regarding the adulteration of Tirupati Tirumala Temple Prasadam with animal meat and other spoiled items, which has caused significant unrest among devotees.”

In a separate development, former Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Y.V. Subba Reddy, who is also a Member of Rajya Sabha, has approached the Supreme Court to seek an inquiry by an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

The controversy erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat had been used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the tenure of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. This allegation has ignited a heated political dispute, with the YSR Congress Party accusing Naidu of making “heinous allegations” for political gain. In response, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) circulated a laboratory report to substantiate its claims.

On September 20, two days after the allegations surfaced, TTD Executive Officer J. Shyamala Rao held a press conference where she announced that lab tests had detected animal fat and lard in the tested samples. She added that the board was in the process of blacklisting the contractor responsible for supplying the "adulterated" ghee.